The work is varied and interesting and provides a stimulating
combination of clinical, theoretical and practical work as well as
research. You are able to assess and use information from
wide-ranging sources that include engineering, toxicology,
industrial processes, behavioural science and legal areas. The
specialty brings you into contact with a wide range of people and
provides opportunities to preserve health rather than simply
diagnose the unchangeable.
I like the preventative side of this specialty and the
opportunity to make a difference in a larger population group.
It is necessary to have good clinical knowledge across a broad range
of areas in medicine. You should have an enquiring, unbiased mind
and be able to think logically and present ideas and information
clearly. Occupational physicians need to possess excellent
communication skills and should to be willing to function outside
the traditional medical paradigm. Having good writing and speaking
skills as well as good public relations skills is important when you
are working with employers.
Most specialists have a ‘portfolio’ of appointments rather than one
job with a single company. Practitioners usually undertake a combination of
clinical, managerial and other activities that may include liaising with
government agencies or researching work exposures and determining
appropriate policies. Evaluation of possible workplace problems requires
first-hand knowledge, so occupational physicians visit industrial sites to
assess hazards and risks.
There are many challenges that face occupational medicine. Current
economic trends mean that in many cases workplace safety issues are
not an employer’s primary concern. New materials and products
(including biological agents) that require assessment are constantly
emerging. Many obvious hazards lack scientific evidence for their
exact risk quantification, so research that will lead to practical
solutions is vital. Another area of development is the increasing
focus on workplace stress and fatigue.
One registrar recommends that you should find a good supervisor and
obtain a suitably broad training post. Trainees are advised to begin
developing their training logbooks as early as possible.
Industry is slowly retreating from the phase where health and safety
issues were seen as an unnecessary luxury, and is beginning to
reinvest in expertise. Considerable opportunities are available in
various areas of occupational medicine in New Zealand and overseas.
It is said to be relatively easy to take time out, although this
depends to some extent on the nature of the job (for example,
whether you are a full time company employee or whether you work in
private practice with a number of clients). Holidays often fit in
with client down time, but are far more flexible than in other areas
of medicine.
Occupational medicine does not make any significant demands on
family life except when you are studying for the exit exams during
training. Various industries work different hours, so you need to be
prepared for early morning starts or the occasional night-shift
visit. Generally it is possible to fit consulting times and training
sessions around your family life. One contributor commented that
employment with particular companies may require you to be based in
relatively remote parts of the country, ‘well cared-for but far from
the opera!’
Occupational physicians are at the whim of businesses: the advice
that they offer can be undervalued and is sometimes sacrificed to
other agendas. The specialty involves a significant amount of
administration, which might be considered a disadvantage.
The training programme is very flexible and can be undertaken
from a variety of existing jobs. There is a significant coursework
component for the training programme and the exams are considered to
be relatively difficult.
I like the preventative side of this specialty and the opportunity to make a difference in a larger population group.