Occupational and environmental medicine in preventionist residency training programs

In the United States today, there remains a need to train physicians with expertise in occupational medicine and its corollary, environmental medicine. To determine whether preventive medicine residency training programs provide trainees with skills and knowledge in occupational and environmental medicine, we conducted a survey among directors of general preventive medicine and combined general preventive medicine/public health programs in the United States that listed such emphases in the Directory of Preventive Medicine Residency Programs in the United States and Canada. Of the programs surveyed, over 50% included occupational and environmental medicine training opportunities. Individuals who have trained in these settings have obtained employment in positions related to this training, and some have obtained certification. Our findings suggest that preventive medicine training programs may provide an avenue for training and certification in occupational and environmental medicine.