Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Research Article

Residency programs and the outlook for occupational and environmental medicine in Korea: Youngil Lee, Jungwon Kim, Yoomi Chae; Ann Occup Environ Med 2015;27:23. Published online September 25, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-015-0072-1

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Objectives
This study investigated the implementation of training courses and the overall outlook for occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) in Korea. We described the problems facing OEM residency programs in Korea, and reviewed studies dealing with the specialty of occupational health in developed countries in order to suggest directions of improvement for the OEM training courses.
Methods
We surveyed 125 OEM residents using a questionnaire in August 2012. A total of 23 questions about the training environment, residency programs, preferred institutions for post-licensure employment, and the outlook for OEM specialists were included in the questionnaire and analyzed according to the type of training institution and residency year. Responses from 88 residents (70.4 %) were analyzed.
Results
The major responsibilities of OEM residents were found to vary depending on whether they were trained in research institutes or in hospitals. OEM residents had a lower level of satisfaction with the following training programs: toxicology practice (measurements of biological markers, metabolites, and working environments), and OEM practice (environmental diseases and clinical training involving surgery). When asked about their eventual place of employment, OEM residents preferred institutions providing special health examinations or health management services. OEM residents reported a positive outlook for OEM over the next 5 years, but a negative outlook for the next 10 years.
Conclusions
Although a standardized training curriculum for OEM residents exists, this study found differences in the actual training courses depending on the training institution. We plan to standardize OEM training by holding a regional conference and introducing open training methods, such as an open hospital system. Use of Korean-language OEM textbook may also reduce differences in the educational programs of each training institution. Toxicology practice, environmental diseases, and clinical training in surgery are areas that particularly need improvement in OEM residency training programs.

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Review

Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine as a Branch of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: Young Il Lee, Byeong Jin Ye; Ann Occup Environ Med 2013;25:39-39. Published online December 19, 2013; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-4374-25-39

Exposure to the underwater environment for occupational or recreational purposes is increasing. As estimated, there are around 7 million divers active worldwide and 300,000 more divers in Korea. The underwater and hyperbaric environment presents a number of risks to the diver. Injuries from these hazards include barotrauma, decompression sickness, toxic effects of hyperbaric gases, drowning, hypothermia, and dangerous marine animals. For these reasons, primary care physicians should understand diving related injuries and assessment of fitness to dive. However, most Korean physicians are unfamiliar with underwater and hyperbaric medicine (UHM) in spite of scientific and practical values.

From occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) specialist’s perspective, we believe that UHM should be a branch of OEM because OEM is an area of medicine that deals with injuries caused by physical and biological hazards, clinical toxicology, occupational diseases, and assessment of fitness to work. To extend our knowledge about UHM, this article will review and update on UHM including barotrauma, decompression illness, toxicity of diving gases and fitness for diving.

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Original Article

Estimation of Demand and Supply for Occupational and Environmental Medicine Specialties in Korea (I): Estimation of Supply: Jungwon Kim, Yoomi Chae, Jonghan Leem; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2011;23(1):71-79. Published online March 31, 2011; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2011.23.1.71

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
To estimate the supply of occupational and environmental medicine specialties in the target year of 2020.
METHODS
We adopted alternative projection models combined with a demographic method as a supply forecasting method. The model uses data selected primarily from the database of the Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (KSOEM), a survey for certified members of KSOEM, audit data from the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) and Hospital Accreditation. We assumed five viable alternatives in supply forecasting.
RESULTS
Depending on the assumptions, the total occupational and environmental medicine specialties supply ranged from 706 by low-level supply estimates to 754 by high-level supply estimates in 2020. Among them, approximately 81% were estimated to engage themselves in agency for health management and periodic health examinations for workers exposed to hazards.
CONCLUSIONS
The study results suggest that the supply of occupational and environmental medicine specialties is related to the policy of MOEL. Further studies are needed concerning overall policy about health and safety and for the newly demanded market.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Residency programs and the outlook for occupational and environmental medicine in Korea
Youngil Lee, Jungwon Kim, Yoomi Chae
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2015;[Epub] CrossRef
General Background and Practical Implementation of the Health Management Service Institution in Korea
Shintaro OKAHARA, Byeong-Woo LEE, Takayuki OGASAWARA, Koji MORI
Journal of UOEH.2014; 36(3): 217. CrossRef

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