Transitioning Into OEM From Another Specialty

The reason this topic gets its own page is that historically, OEM has drawn a large number of physicians in from other specialties. As few people know about OEM as they prepare to apply for initial residency during medical school, many specialties are plagued by high burnout/low job satisfaction, and OEM jobs are plentiful, it makes sense that this is the case. Also, it often takes time and experience to develop an appreciation for the value of preventive/population health and the broad impact it can have. Below are a few points to consider if you are considering transitioning into OEM from another specialty.

For Those in Training for a Different Specialty

  • As long as you have completed or will have completed internship, then you are eligible to train in an OEM residency.
  • OEM residency is only two years after internship. So if you have already invested a few years in a specialty that you now realize isn’t a good fit, OEM is an option that won’t take forever to complete.
  • OEM training includes an MPH (or similar) degree, which is a great deal and increasingly desirable among physicians of all types. Even better, you get paid to get this degree during OEM residency.
  • Let’s face it – leaving a residency program is difficult. You have invested a lot. What will you do if you leave? Many physicians have serious doubts about their chosen specialty but soldier on in the hope that it will get better down the road. For many, it never does.
    • One concern is that it can be viewed as a “black mark” on your record to leave a residency program without finishing. Will other residency programs see you as a quitter that is too risky to take a chance on? Maybe. But this is unlikely for OEM programs.
    • As long as your reason for leaving makes sense, and you weren’t fired/forced out on bad terms, then OEM programs are more likely than others to view your prior experience as a strength.
  • If you’re already close to completing residency, consider finishing your current program, then doing OEM. Being dual-boarded always looks good on your CV and will increase your career prospects.

For Those in Practice in a Different Specialty

  • Maybe you are totally burned out on your chosen specialty. Maybe you are a surgeon that developed chronic neck pain and can’t operate anymore. Maybe you are unfulfilled in your current job and have become interested in population health. Maybe you were exposed to OEM by chance and really liked it. Maybe you just want to be able to work as a physician and still be able to spend quality time with your family. There are many good reasons why your life or your priorities might change and you might contemplate switching into OEM.
  • Since OEM is so broad in scope, the skills you already developed probably won’t go to waste. You can often use your hard-won knowledge in a more fulfilling way within OEM, and be a better OEM physician as a result.
  • Many transitioned OEM physicians find their work more meaningful than in their previous specialty.
  • Some OEM jobs may actually look for physicians with a background in another particular specialty.
  • As there are more OEM jobs than OEM specialists, you can sometimes test the waters by working in an OEM environment part-time or locum tenens to slowly build up knowledge and experience in the field and make sure that it is a good fit for you. Some facilities are set up to train non-OEM physicians in the basics of OEM practice.
    • Residency training and OEM board certification are always recommended, and for many OEM jobs will be required, but for those on the fence just be aware there are options that don’t require an all-out commitment up front.

Additional Considerations

  • For those with an MPH degree and who have completed at least two years of residency, you may be eligible for an accelerated one-year OEM residency and OEM board certification via the Complementary Pathway. For more on this, see Board Certification in OEM.
  • For those who are already board-certified in Aerospace Medicine or Preventive Medicine, there is an option for board certification in OEM via the Special Pathway if you have sufficient experience working in OEM practice. For more on the, see Board Certification in OEM.
  • While OEM does not require the same level of hand-eye coordination and dexterity as being a surgeon or interventionalist, the work is intellectually challenging and often uses skills that many physicians don’t. OEM isn’t “easy” and isn’t for everyone. Not everyone is able to do it well. OEM requires a different mindset from most other specialties, and some can struggle to make that transition. For more on what characteristics tend to make a good OEM physician, see the page here.

Consider reading this KevinMD article by Dr. Nate Clapp, a physician that transitioned to OEM from family practice.