Occupational medicine specialists in the United States: a survey

Although a shortage of occupational medicine experts has been suggested, no accurate enumeration of actively practicing physicians who are Board-certified in occupational medicine is available. A survey of all such physicians and recent occupational medicine residency graduates was conducted to determine practice type and level of activity. Older physicians tended to practice in industry-based settings, whereas younger physicians were more likely situated in clinic settings serving a variety of employees. Projecting from our responses, we estimate that about 650 occupational medicine specialists were actively practicing at the time of the survey and that about half are available to the community physician for consultation. Fewer than two thirds of recent residency graduates had pursued Board certification; this trend will lead to a gradual decline in the number of Board-certified occupational physicians.