Recruitment Challenges for Physician Training in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Objective The aim of the study was to characterize experiences of current and recent trainees of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) to inform recruitment. Methods In fall 2023, a survey was sent to 115 current OEM residents and approximately 250 alumni from the previous 5 years regarding demographics, career motivations, and experience with application/training process. Results The response rate was 54% (62/115) for current residents and approximately 22% (56/~250) for alumni. Only 20% learned about OEM before internship and 41% applied to only one program. The top 3 features of training programs were quality/support of faculty, research opportunities, and family/geographic preference. Eighty-four percent support a combined/paired internship program. Conclusions The survey highlights challenges in recruitment to OEM, suggesting the need for increased outreach to medical students, opening/reopening programs in new geographic areas, and exploring combined/paired internship programs.