Letters to the Editor |
Why I became an occupational physician ...
Occupational medicine is rarely a first choice career for those entering medicine and it probably should not be. A wider training in other specialities gives the occupational physician an understanding of illnesses, ailments and patients and in contrast to many other branches of medicine, it is the response to illness or adversity rather than the illness itself that is important.Having dallied with surgery following qualification, I decided it was not for me. I had no real view of what I should do and decided that a short service commission in the Army would at least give me time to reach some sort of conclusion. Somewhat unusually, I joined the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards directly under the regimental doctor scheme, initially for 3 years. The first couple of years were in Germany, essentially in general practice. This was not for me either! What was of real interest was the health needs of the soldier in barracks, in the field and on operations. Although I did not realize it at the time, occupational medicine is never more real than when the doctor lives in sometimes very uncomfortable and unpleasant circumstances along with those he supports. A very full understanding of the issues develops with a commitment to do something positive about them.
Short service extended into long service. Attendance at the Staff College delayed higher professional training but did help crystallize my views. In the services, there is considerable overlap between occupational and public health medicine, many posts combining aspects of the two. At the time of the formation of the two faculties, the general view in the services was that community medicine (as it was known at the time) would be the preferred option. During my time in posts following staff training, it became clear in my own mind that occupational medicine was the right way to go.
Formal training started with the Occupational Medicine MSc course at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Unfortunately, the decision was then made to close the department and this inevitably had its effects. Nevertheless, there were those committed few who continued to ensure that effective training was given. Higher professional training continued in a variety of posts in the services including a spell in the Devonport Dockyard. Before completing this, I was whisked away to be the Chief Medical Officer of the United Nations Protection Force in Yugoslavia. I was still trying to complete my Membership of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine dissertation faxing revised submissions over a satellite link from a war torn Sarajevo which can help put other aspects of working life in perspective at times.
Would I take the same path again? Certainly. Occupational medicine completes the medical process and rather than treating a disease or illness per se it looks at the whole person and their response. Instead of having discharge from hospital or clinic as the end point of intervention, occupational physicians have the very real target of a return to a productive life.
e-mail: david.wright{at}atosorigin.com
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