Study sheet: occupational physician

After having finished the rôle and the compétences of the médecin du travailin our fiche métier médecin du travail, let's dwell now on the long études that mènent à this profession. Access to the French health care system is not always easy to understand and grasp. This article should help you make sense of them.

What is an occupational physician?

The occupational physician is a health professional responsible for monitoring the physical and mental health of employees in relation to their professional activities. He does not provide curative care, but acts exclusively in a preventive capacity. His role is to ensure that the workstation is adapted to the employee's state of health, and vice versa.

Faced with ever-changing working conditions, stress, physical and psychosocial risks, the carriage of the occupational physicianhas become essential. It also plays a role as a mediator between the company and its employees, promotes job retention, participates in the fight against health inequalities and actively contributes to well-being in the workplace.

The academic path to becoming an occupational physician

Meacute;decine studies: a compulsory core curriculum

Before entering higher education, a future occupational physician must obtain a baccalaureate, preferably in a scientific field, in order to master the essential basics. He will then have two options:

• Le Parcours Accès Santé Spécifique (PASS)
• Introduced in 2020 in place of the former Premiée Année Commune aux Études de Santé (PACES), the PASS is a year of study combining a health majoréà a diverse minor. This structure diversifies skills in addition to offering pathways for re-orientation.
• Students are assessed on the basis of continuous assessment and final exams.
• Admitted students enter the health professions.
• Non-admitted candidates can re-enter their minor. They will be able to retake the competition the following year.

The PASS makes it possible to reduce the pressure associated with the single PACES entrance exam and diversify the student's skills.

• La Licence avec Accès Santé (L.AS)
• Introduced in 2020 in order to diversify the training offer in health studies, the L.AS is a program combining any major (law, humanities, economics, etc.) with a specific health minor (biology, physiology, etc.).
• At the end of the first, second or third year, and if they have passed the minimum requirements, students in L.AS can apply for health studies. Students then sit specific examinations. Depending on his or her performance, he or she may be rejected or admitted to the second year of medical school.

The L.AS enables students to follow a diversified pathway, promoting skills and reorientation.

Études médicales générales

Après le PASS ou la L.AS (see above), les études permettant de devenir médecin du travail se décomposent en deux parts diplômantes:

• Le Diplôme de Formation Générale en Sciences Médicales (DFGSM): three-year curriculum (the PASS and L.AS count as the first year) consisting of theoretical courses in medical sciences and clinical internships in hospitals.
• Le Diplôme de Formation Approfondie en Sciences Médicales (DFASM) : A direct continuation of the DFGSM, this is a three-year curriculum that integrates specialized courses and advanced internships in various hospital departments.

Éend-of-clerkship proofs

During the final year of the second cycle, students have to pass a battery of tests which will enable them, depending on their results and rankings, to formulate vœux de spécialité, but également de ville. Here's the list:

• Épreuves dématérialisées nationales (EDN): these take place in October and count for 60% of the final grade. To pass, students must obtain a mark of 14/20 or higher in the theoretical knowledge required by all doctors, whatever their speciality.
  
  
• Examens cliniques objectifs et structurés (ECOS): these are organized in May and count for 30% of the final grade. They test students' ability to develop clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills. The minimum mark must be 10/20.
  
  
• Academic progress grade: this continuous assessment takes into account the student's commitment, curriculum, mobility and level of English, and accounts for 10% of the final grade.

Specialization in occupational medicine

Once the general médecine studies have been completed, the student who spécializes in médecine du travail enters boarding school for four years. The course is divided between theoretical and practical training:

• Theoretical training: interns follow specific courses covering occupational health, prevention of occupational risks, pathophysiology of exposure, regulations, and legal medicine.
  
  
• Practical training: interns in occupational medicine complete internships in a variety of settings: inter-company occupational health departments, companies, labor inspectorates, occupational pathology centers, etc.
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In addition, interns in occupational medicine must write and defend a thesis in order to obtain their doctorate. After completing this specialization, he was awarded the Diplôme d'Eacute;tat de Docteur en Médecine with a specialization in occupational medicine. After 10 years of study to become an occupational physician, he can exercise this key role in the prevention and promotion of health in the workplace and apply for job offers as an occupational physician.

If you want to learn more about médecin recruitment, find our complete guide to médica recruitmentl.

Practical internships in occupational medicine

Practical internships in occupational medicine play a fundamental role in the training of future practitioners. They enable gradual immersion in a variety of environments, including corporate occupational health departments, inter-company structures, public bodies and local authorities. Specifically, interns take part in site visits, carry out workstation analyses, contribute to the development of prevention plans, and conduct information and awareness-raising campaigns for employees.

These hands-on experiences give them a direct understanding of the issues involved in occupational health and risk prevention. Supervised by experienced occupational physicians, they benefit from individualized support, based on the transmission of practical knowledge, analytical methodologies and a professional posture adapted to the realities of the field. This apprenticeship strengthens their ability to intervene with rigor and discernment in sometimes complex contexts, reconciling medical expertise, regulatory requirements and human dynamics.

Skills developed during training

In-depth knowledge of public health and preventive medicine

The foundation of competence for occupational physicians is based first and foremost on solid training in public health, geared towards the prevention of occupational risks. From the very first months of the course, the emphasis is on understanding health problems in the workplace, identifying pathologies linked to working conditions, and identifying levers for action to improve the quality of life at work.

In addition, students learn how to assess exposure to physical, chemical, biological or psychosocial risks, analyze work situations and anticipate the onset of disorders. This proactive approach is at the heart of their mission: to prevent rather than cure, by promoting a culture of prevention at all levels of the company.

Maîtrise du cadre législatif, réglementaire et institutionnel

Occupational medicine is practiced in a particularly regulated legal environment. The étudiants en médecine du travail receive rigorous training on occupational health legislation, employer obligations and employee rights, as well as hygiene, safety and ergonomic standards.

Occupational physicians learn how to interpret this complex regulatory framework and apply it effectively in the field, in conjunction with social partners and institutions. A detailed understanding of legislative developments, civil and criminal responsibilities, and legal monitoring systems are essential prerequisites for ensuring compliant and effective support for companies.

Developing interpersonal, pedagogical and ethical skills

Beyond technical knowledge, the training of future occupational physicians prepares them to occupy a role as mediator, advisor and sometimes arbitrator within the organization. They must be able to establish a climate of trust with a wide range of interlocutors: employees, managers, staff representatives, human resources departments or general management.

Active listening, the ability to formulate clear, well-argued recommendations, adaptability of discourse to suit the issues and profiles at stake, and respect for medical confidentiality are all an integral part of their professional posture. The pedagogical dimension is also essential: knowing how to explain occupational health issues, running awareness-raising sessions, changing perceptions of occupational hazards, and promoting collective preventive measures.

Finally, the training of occupational physiciansemphasizes the ethics of practice, particularly in managing potential conflicts of interest between employees' health and the company's economic constraints.

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