Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) at the University of Washington (UW) is a joint program between the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (School of Public Health), the Department of Medicine and the Division of General Internal Medicine (School of Medicine).

The goal of UW OEM is to use evidence-based clinical approaches, cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary training to address regional and emerging occupational and environmental medicine needs.

Our OEM Clinic at Harborview Medical Center has served the occupational medicine needs of the state of Washington and the region since 1981. The clinic works with patients, labor, employers, community groups and others to prevent, diagnose and treat injuries and diseases caused or aggravated by work or community environmental exposures.

Clinic funding comes from Harborview, the state of Washington through Medical Aid and Accident Funds and other sources.

Updates

Now hiring: Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program Director

Associate or Full Professor without tenure, General Internal Medicine

The University of Washington (UW) Department of Medicine (DoM), Division of General Internal Medicine (GIM) is seeking applicants for a full-time (1.0 FTE) faculty position based in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program (OEM), based at Harborview Medical Center (HMC). The selected applicant will serve as the Program Director for OEM, a joint activity of the Department of Medicine in the School of Medicine (SoM) and the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences in the School of Public Health (DEOHS/SPH). This position will be at the Associate Professor or full Professor rank (without tenure due to funding). Salary and academic appointment at University of Washington will be commensurate with experience, qualifications, and academic rank.

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Occupational Medicine Grand Rounds - Short of Breath at Work: Is it an Occupational Disease?

Occupational and environmental health exposures cause thousands of illnesses and injuries each year. This lecture series addresses the evaluation, treatment, and prevention of disease and injuries related to environmental and occupational exposures encountered by physicians and their colleagues in local, regional, and international settings.

March 13, 2024, 6:00-8:00pm Pacific Time

Presenters:

  • Coralynn Sack, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Medicine and Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and Epidemiology, University of Washington
  • Bonnie Ronish, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Medicine and Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and Epidemiology, Occupational & Environmental Clinic at Harborview, University of Washington

Register now

Fast Facts

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800 
Annual visits to the OEM Clinic

 

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300 
Professionals trained annually

 

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200 
Peer-reviewed publications and products over the last 5 years

 

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4 
States served in EPA Region X

 

Our Impact

Alawode sits in an office in a clinic with a tapestry behind him.

How occupational medicine physicians support workers

Dr. Christopher Alawode, DEOHS MPH student in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, helps workers stay healthy

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Six people stand in front of an ambulance with a seal painted on the side and text "SR3 Sealife Emergency Response Unit."

Seal pups and safety

Visiting a marine mammal hospital, grad student trainees from Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety gather workplace health insights

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Portrait of Inna Antonchuk looking at camera, wearing a gold pendant necklace with the letter V.

Ensuring respiratory health in long-term care

DEOHS MPH student Inna Antonchuk works with Washington State Department of Health to support occupational health nursing outreach for assisted living

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In the News

Cultivators address new health and safety issues for plants and workers
October 17, 2023 | Cannabis Science and Technology | Featured: Coralynn Sack View

What the Air Quality Index doesn't tell us about smoke dangers
November 14, 2022 | Crosscut | Featured: Catherine Karr, Coralynn Sack, Tania M Busch Isaksen PhD student Annie Doubleday View

Here's what experts say are the impacts of exposure to unhealthy air quality
October 19, 2022 | KING-5 | Featured: Coralynn Sack View

Relief from smoky conditions expected soon, UW doctor talks preventative measures
October 12, 2022 | UW Daily | Featured: Coralynn Sack View

As temperatures rise, industries fight heat safeguards for workers
August 9, 2022 | Washington Post | Featured: June T. Spector View