What is Occupational Medicine

What is Occupational Medicine?

The following is a shortened version from the faculty website:

Occupational Medicine is a medical specialty where doctors focus on the effects of 'work on health' and 'health on work'.  It understands the full range of workplace and environmental hazards and how these may cause an adverse effect on health, such as injury or illness.  It covers all occupational/work groupings, and understands the nature of such work in terms of inherent task requirements, environment, and human ergonomics.

There is a particular focus on risk minimisation by the use of preventive methods and ensuring optimum fitness-for-work, in addition to the diagnosis, treatment, occupational rehabilitation and compensation of work-related injury or illness.

A Consultant Occupational Physician in Australia and New Zealand is a medical practitioner who, by extensive post-graduate study, examinations and experience, has been accepted as a recognised Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FAFOM).  The FAFOM is the only qualification recognised by the medical registration boards in Australia and New Zealand for registration as a specialist in occupational medicine.

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