Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) is a board-certified specialty within the profession under the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of work-related injuries and illnesses.

Occupational medicine physicians receive formal training in public health, preventive medicine, population medicine, epidemiology, toxicology, and research. OEM physicians are experts in the factors that affect health and wellness in the workplace.

OEM professionals focus on the health of workers through clinical care, prevention, and management of injuries, illnesses or disability caused by the workplace.

OEM physicians are uniquely qualified to:

• Treat and manage work-related injuries, illness, and disability
• Discuss workplace safety and the prevention of work-related injuries and illness
• Perform workplace hazard analysis
• Evaluate an employee’s ability to perform work (preplacement exams, DOT exams)
• Assess fitness for duty or return to work after injury or illness
• Help to rehabilitate employees after injury or illness
• Advised about health outcomes of environmental exposures
• Promote health in the workplace
• Perform regular health surveillance on employees to identify potential workplace exposures
• Ensure workplace compliance with laws and safety standards
• Help organizations ensure health and safety of their employees

For more information please visit the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.