Residents / Students

OEM Physicians: Keeping America’s Workforce Healthy

Thank you for considering a career in the exciting field of occupational and environmental health! 

As the nation’s workplaces become more complex, occupational and environmental health specialists play an increasingly visible role in preventing diseases and promoting wellness among workers.

Employers are now making the connection between the good health of their workforce and the overall success of their enterprises.  In this environment, the demand for physicians and other professionals trained in understanding the complex interplay of factors that affect worker health has grown significantly.

What does an occupational and environmental physician do?

As highly trained specialists, OEM physicians and other health professionals enhance the health of workers through preventive medicine, clinical care, disability management, research, and education.

OEM professionals have expertise in determining the ability of employees to perform work; the arrangements of work, the physical, chemical, biological, and social environments of the workplace, and the health outcomes of environmental exposures.

They recognize that work and the environment in which it is performed can have favorable or adverse effects upon the health of workers as well as of other populations; that the nature of work can be arranged to protect worker health; and that health and well-being at the workplace are promoted when workers’ physical attributes or limitations are accommodated in job placement.

They are skilled at using the tools of preventive medicine to improve the health of workers and their families, and they are trained in the complex Return-to-Work process, an advanced system of health monitoring that optimizes the time in which ill or injured workers can safely return to work.

Perhaps most importantly, occupational health professionals occupy a critical position at the center of virtually all health-related transactional activities in the workplace. They are connected to all of the other parts of this complex infrastructure—senior management, benefits and human resources, legal, worker’s compensation, government regulatory agencies, labor and unions, hospitals and public health organizations. They are a fulcrum of workplace health—understanding the needs and challenges of each of these diverse groups.  They provide a unique bridge between the clinical/scientific medical community and the business-based employer community.

With America facing dramatic demographic shifts and a worrisome rise in the incidence of chronic disease among all age groups, the vital connection between work and health will become even more important.

At the same time, the American workplace itself is changing—becoming ever more complex.  With global markets and rapidly shifting business models, business leaders face enormous challenges that impact their ability to create healthy workplaces.

The clinical knowledge, skill and advocacy of occupational physicians and other occupational and environmental health professionals will play an increasingly crucial role in forming policy and implementing successful strategies that will have a significant impact on the health and safety of workers and their families, workplaces, and environments.

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) represents nearly 5,000 physicians and other professionals specializing in occupational and environmental medicine. Founded in 1916, ACOEM is the nation’s largest medical specialty society dedicated to research, education and the support of professionals in this critical area.

Please follow the links in this section to learn more about OEM and the resources available to practitioners.

Student and Resident members of ACOEM receive full member benefits, including a subscription to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM), the monthly e-news, weekly Science Briefs, access to the Members Only section of the website, discounted rates on annual meeting registration fees and opportunities to participate in local component societies and special interest sections. Participation in the Residents and Recent Graduates Special Interest Section is a good way to enter the network of young OEM professionals. This is an exchange forum for residents or recent graduates of occupational medicine residency and fellowship programs. Participation can be just the beginning of many rewarding professional experiences! 

We invite you to explore and learn more about this exciting profession, the interesting people who have make OEM their career, and ACOEM—the professional organization that supports them! If you have questions, please call us at 847-818-1800 or e-mail memberinfo@acoem.org

 

Some places to begin:

Careers in Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Is the field of occupational and environmental medicine right for you? This publication introduces you to the exciting and challenging world of occupational and environmental medicine. The Careers brochure describes:

• the need for OEM physicians;
• how to enter the field;
• postgraduate education in OEM—the MPH and the second and third years of residency;
• the range of different practice settings;
• Board Certification in Occupational Medicine; and
• the personal advantages in practicing OEM. 

The entire publication is available on line at no charge. Click here to access Careers.

Scope of Occupational and Environmental Health Programs and Practice. 
A detailed discussion of the varieties of practice of OEM physicians.

OEM Practice Settings and Career Opportunities
As part of our efforts to connect with residents and others new to occupational and environmental medicine, ACOEM sponsors a series of informal teleconferences titled “Practice Settings and Career Opportunities”.  These are very well received by medical students, residents, recent grads, and others. Presenters “tell their story”-- their path to their current area of practice, what their day to day work looks like, recommendations regarding how one gets into that area of practice, what the job market is like, and other wisdom for those just starting out.  

These sessions are on the ACOEM website as downloadable audiocasts, so those who can’t be on the call can still listen to them. The link is http://www.acoem.org/audiotraining.aspx. 

Healthy Workforce Now
ACOEM has launched the initiative, "Healthy Workforce Now," to focus national attention on the need for health promotion and prevention in the workplace as a part of health reform. 

The resources of the Career Center in Occupational and Environmental Medicine  

Commercial Driver Medical Examiner Center  

Evidence Based Medicine: OEM Practice Guidelines

Health and Productivity Management Center

Member Center