Institute of Medicine Report on Shortage
of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Physicians
In 1989, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) estimated a
national shortage of 3100 to 5500 physicians with special
competence in occupational and environmental (O-E) medicine. In
1991, an IOM subcommittee made six recommendations concerning how
federal and state governments, medical schools, and medical
societies can counter this shortage in a report entitled
"Addressing the Physician Shortage in Occupational and
Environmental Medicine." The study was sponsored by the Public
Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and
Environmental Protection Agency.
IOM's six specific measures to alleviate the shortage of O-E
physicians are: 1) integrate occupational and environmental
medicine into medical school curricula to increase students'
interest in these fields; 2) establish 10-15 centers to train
future teachers and researchers in occupational and environmental
medicine; 3) expand occupational medicine to include the
fledgling field of environmental medicine, thereby increasing the
number of physicians competent to practice in either area; 4)
increase funding to support medical school faculty members
committed to teaching and research in occupational and
environmental medicine; 5) increase support for residency and
fellowship training; and 6) adopt new routes to certification and
accreditation in occupational and environmental medicine.
Copies of "Addressing the Physician Shortage in Occupational
and Environmental Medicine" are available from the Director,
Division of Health Education, ATSDR, 1600 Clifton Road, NE,
Mailstop E-33, Atlanta, GA 30333; telephone (404) 639-0730.
Disclaimer
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