Occupational Physicians Scholarship Fund

Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) is the discipline concerned with the health and function of people at their places of work, and the impact of industrial activities and products on the health of workers, consumers and the public. Today, organizations of every kind rely on corporate medical departments as well as on outside OEM consulting practices to ensure their operations and products pose no unacceptable risks to human health or to the environment. And increasingly, businesses are relying on Occupational Medicine, which is a preventive medicine specialty, to improve the productivity of the workforce using prevention techniques to bring employees to optimal states of good health. The OPSF Case Statement further discusses the important role of OEM physicians in promoting a healthy workforce and workplace.

Seeking to address the critical shortage of qualified physicians entering the OEM field, The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) launched the Scholarship Fund in the early 1980’s with a mission to raise capital from American corporations to provide scholarship stipends for the most qualified physicians in the U.S. to complete an academic and/or practicum (training) year in an accredited occupational and environmental medicine residency.

Raising over $4.3 million from its initial capital campaign and another $2.7 in a second, the Occupational Physicians Scholarship Fund (OPSF) has become one of the leading sources of OEM funding. Working in a strategic partnership, ACOEM and OPSF are committed to keeping the momentum going by continuing to ensure that OEM residents get the funding and training they need to best serve the rapidly evolving workplace.

OPSF provides stipends to worthy physicians to help cover their OEM residency positions. It has fostered the growth of a talented leadership cadre in occupational and environmental medicine whose skills achievements and level of commitment is moving the entire field forward.

The OPSF stipend support is structured to help defray costs of tuition, books, other academic expenses and a modest living allowance. Indirect costs to the institution the resident is attending are not covered under the scholarship.

Questions about the Fund may be forwarded to OPSF via email dkonicki@acoem.org, or by calling our Elk Grove Village, Illinois office at (847) 818-1800 ext. 383.

Deadline for 2010/2011 Applications
November 6, 2009