Two decades’ contribution of occupational medicine training in Thailand: experience from the foundation with a view toward the future

For 2 decades, the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, has served the Occupational Medicine Residency training program in Thailand. Graduates of this program undertake to work in occupational medicine to promote health and prevent morbidity and mortality in the workplace and provide occupational medical services for the working population in Thailand. Qualifying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Medicine in Thailand can be achieved in 2 ways: through a 3-year residency training or 5 years of working experience in the field of occupational medicine combined with an elective 2-month short course. There are currently 159 Thai board-certified occupational medicine physicians. Occupational medicine physicians in Thailand work in both public and private healthcare facilities. A number of certified occupational physicians occupy leading national health positions in various government and academic organizations. Knowledge of occupational medicine is currently essential for undergraduate medical students as specified in the medical competency assessment criteria of the Thai Medical Council. Updating content and incorporating needs of employers are keys to success for Thailand, as a country with an occupational medicine training program in its initial stages. In Thailand, the supply of occupational medicine physicians is still less than the increasing demand. Advancement of health research schemes would contribute to the curriculum. Occupational medicine development in Thailand needs to address challenges in local issues including work in the informal sector, particularly in agriculture, and incorporate standardization and international consistency into the training curriculum and qualifying management.