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occupational medicine

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Also known as work medicine

medical specialty focusing on the health of workers, including the ability to perform work; the physical, chemical, biological, and social environments of the workplace; and the health outcomes of environmental exposures

Key facts

Mesh
D009787

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

170,746 papers

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Show 6 more facts
topic's main category
Category:Occupational medicine
OpenStreetMap tag
healthcare:speciality=occupational
Commons category
Occupational medicine
different from
occupational therapy
Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~6 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM), previously called industrial medicine, is a board certified medical specialty under the American Board of Preventative Medicine that specializes in the prevention and treatment of work-related illnesses and injuries.

OEM physicians are trained in both clinical medicine and public health. They may work in a clinical capacity providing direct patient care to workers through worker's compensation programs or employee health programs and performing medical screening services for employers. Corporate medical directors are typically occupational medicine physicians who often have specialized training in the hazards relevant to their industry. OEM physicians are employed by the US military in light of the significant and unique exposures faced by this population of workers. Public health departments, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) commonly employ physicians specialized in occupational medicine. They often advise international bodies, governmental and state agencies, organizations, and trade unions.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “occupational medicine” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.