What Role Does Occupational and Environmental Health Law Have in Graduate and Continuing Medical Education?

Abstract

A two-stage survey that used the Delphi technique was performed to determine the attitudes and needs of physicians that practice occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) regarding continuing medical education (CME) and Master of Public Health (MPH) curriculum in the area of health law. Forty-six of the 80 subjects (58%) responded to the first survey, and 39 of these 46 (85%) responded to the follow-up survey. The results showed that most subjects agreed with the need for CME to devote approximately 14 hours over the next two years (1993-1995) to occupational/environmental health laws and regulations. Interest was also expressed in some practical business law that would be helpful to medical practices. The survey's results showed agreement on the need for a three-credit hour MPH course for OEM residents. The differences between the subgroups of academic faculty-post-1990 graduates of MPH or occupational medicine residencies, pre-1990 graduates, and those with no formal OEM education-were also investigated. Pre-1990 graduates consistently desired more hours of CME for the topics surveyed. This study should be helpful for planners of OEM CME courses and for residency directors.