What is an Occupational Medicine Specialist?

An Occupational Medicine Specialist is a primary care physician with specialized interest and training dealing with the evaluation and treatment of patients who have health issues related to their work, and work issues related to their health.

An OM specialist's clinical activities includes a wide variety of employer-related medical activity which is both preventive and responsive in nature: ranging from pre-placement exams associated with safe work placement, drug-free workplace and other work safety program oversight,  to work injury treatment, disability management and rehabilitation.

In the context of the State of Florida Managed Care model and law for management of work injuries, the OM Specialist would be categorized as a primary care physician and as a Medical Care Coordinator.

A thorough outline of the skills and activities of the OM "generalist" and the OM "specialist" can be found as a position paper of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.