The MAST Medical Academy has developed an educational programme and an examination that leads to MAST Certification in order to ensure that clinicians are properly educated in the diagnosis and management of patients who are seeking treatment for Modic changes as seen on MRI scans.

Education – Course Content

Clinicians are taught;

• how to differentiate the 3 types of Modic changes as seen on MRI scans
• their prevalence in patient populations versus the non-care seeking population
• why/how Modic changes cause pain
• which patients are most likely to develop Modic changes
• how Modic changes actually develop
• the histology
• a thorough review of the evidence of antibiotic treatment
• how to pick out key points in the patient interview that should lead a clinician to be suspicious of possible Modic changes
• which physical findings are characteristic of Modic changes
• the most commonly seen side effects of antibiotic treatment and how to manage them

Examination

A multiple choice examination follows and the “students” are required to attain 80% in order to pass.

E-learning

The e-learning programme – available at www.mastmedical.com is covers the same topics at the same depth. The examination is also the same. This programme was developed in order to ensure that clinicians who do not live in urban centres can have access to this knowledge as well.

Who are the MAST Clinicians?

Health professionals from many different disciplines have undergone the same training and successfully completed the same examination prior to being certified as MAST Clinicians.

Included are orthopaedic and spinal surgeons, rheumatologists, pain consultants, general practitioners, physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths.

However, there are different insurance related issues regarding who is able to request MRI scans and indeed this differs from country to country as well.

Additionally, only physicians can prescribe the antibiotics needed for treatment. Our non-medical MAST Clinicians will all have arrangements in place with the necessary health practitioners required to provide a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment.

MAST Centres

MAST Centres are clinics where there are several certified clinicians all working within the same setting. Currently, the largest number of MAST certified clinicians can be found at the Broadgate Spine & Joint Clinic in London. Other centres can be found at leading NHS hospitals in London and elsewhere in Southern England. These can be easily found on the MAST locator map.

Dr Alan Jordan Phd Chiropractor
Broadgate Spine & Joint Clinic London