Why is OEM So Great?

• OEM offers a unique blend of direct clinical care of workers with public/population health. This combination works synergistically to improve workplace wellness and protect worker health. This holistic approach is cited as a major reason why many physicians love OEM and chose it over more transactional or reactive medical specialty.
• The environmental side of OEM reaches populations on a potentially very large scale by looking at health related to pollution, climate change, or environmental contaminants. 
• OEM offers opportunities at multiple levels (workplace, city, county, state, national, international) for clinicians interested in policy or advocacy work. 
• OEM physicians work across multiple areas of medicine such as toxicology, sports medicine/orthopedics, pulmonology, cardiology, and OB/GYN to name a few. 
• There is a diverse variety of job opportunities in OEM, especially outside of hospitals. Compared to other specialties, there is ample opportunity to do something totally different if you decide to do so. See more about job opportunities here.
• OEM jobs range from 100% clinical to 100% non-clinical, and everything in between. There is truly something for everybody.
• There is generally an excellent work/life balance due to low burden of working holidays, nights, and weekends. Even OEM residents generally have a far better work/life balance than residents in other specialties.
• OEM physicians are consistently ranked at or near the top in surveys about the happiest medical specialties with the lowest burnout rates. It is nearly impossible to find an OEM physician that is unhappy. What other specialty can that be said about?
• Unlike some specialties, in OEM you are typically reimbursed for 100% of the care you provide.
• Many consider OEM a more pure form of medicine, with functional outcomes and reduction in lost workdays being more important metrics than RVU generation or encounter volume. Most find it more satisfying to see the increase in productivity in your organization rather than to hit an arbitrary RVU target.
• More than just following clinical care algorithms, OEM docs use a broad range of skill sets such as risk communication, working collaboratively with a wide range of non-medical stakeholders, dealing with complex medicolegal issues, hazard recognition during site visits/investigations, program administration, disability management, and emergency preparedness/response.
• OEM residency training includes a Master of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent degree. Additional degrees like the MPH are becoming more and more sought after among physicians in general, and many physicians pay out of pocket to obtain them. As an OEM resident, you get paid to obtain this degree.
• In OEM, you often don’t have to deal with many of common headaches such as dealing with outside insurance companies, prior authorization, Medicare, etc.
• You will work much more closely with the Worker’s Compensation system, which you will be well-trained to navigate, far beyond the average physician, making you a key asset for your employees and your organization.
• Compensation typically compares favorably to other non-surgical specialties.
• At two years (after completion of an internship), OEM residency is not as long as many other residency programs. This makes it especially appealing for physicians who have trained in other specialties but are looking for a change. For those who already completed a different residency, there are even one-year accelerated options.
• The demand for OEM services far outstrips the current supply of OEM specialists. Job opportunities are plentiful.
• For those coming into OEM from a different field of medicine, your past experience from working in another specialty is often highly valued and can open additional doors for some job roles. You don’t have to leave all your hard-earned knowledge and experience behind, but can usually find a role in OEM where that knowledge and experience can be applied in a more fulfilling context. OEM is perhaps the best alternative option for somebody who realizes, belatedly, that they regret their choice of specialty or for some reason are unhappy with it.

There is no such thing as a perfect specialty or a perfect job, but many have found that OEM may be as close as you can get, especially in today’s challenging medical environment. To get a better idea of what actual OEM physicians do in their job, take a look at the Profiles in OEM page.

Survey results from the Medscape Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2023. OEM grouped with Public Health and Preventive Medicine – lowest burnout rate among all specialties.