Symposium on environmental medicine: into the next millennium

Physicians and other health care providers are witnessing a growth in the number of patients who present with concerns related to environmental exposures. Environmental medicine emphasizes evaluation and prevention of exposure-related illness. Both patients and their communities view physicians as credible sources of information about environmental health matters; however, the knowledge and training that physicians have in this area are generally limited. Recognizing this shortcoming, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has recommended that competency-based training be integrated into all levels of medical education for physicians. This symposium issue includes articles written by Texas physicians from various forms of practice, and complements the IOM learning approach by serving as a resource of information. The goal is to increase knowledge and awareness of environmental issues among physicians who play a special stewardship role for our planet and the health of its human inhabitants.