Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Heart of Occupational and Environmental MedicineAcross the healthcare industry, an acknowledged overdue emphasis has been placed on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). From the origin of this specialty, occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) has championed diverse and underrepresented (URM) workers’ illnesses and injuries, says Robert Goldberg, MD, FACOEM, of San Francisco. “Immigrants have often done the most dangerous work, with the highest exposures, going back 130 years,” says Goldberg. “Other medical specialties are in some ways disparate newcomers to this, but we have always recognized that people of diverse backgrounds don’t appear in clinical studies as often and have poorer outcomes when they respond differently to treatments, medications, and the lack of diversity within the ranks of physicians in general.” Goldberg, an occupational medicine specialist and consultant, is past president of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) as well as of the Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association (WOEMA), where he’s a member of the Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee. The organization’s member states are California, Nevada, Hawaii, Utah, and Arizona. |
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR WOHC 2023!On behalf of the WOEMA Board of Directors and the Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC) planning committee, we welcome you to the 66th annual WOHC, at the world-famous Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA! This year's conference theme, "Experience the Magic of Occupational and Environmental Medicine" highlights our beloved specialty's position at the intersection of medicine and communities and workplaces, around topics of clinical, public health, toxicology, justice equity diversity and inclusion (JEDI), and advocacy importance. A conference at the home of Disney Magic; Occupational and Environmental Medicine is Magical when we learn from each other and apply this knowledge in service to worker health and promotion of safe workplaces.
About WOEMAOur Mission: The mission of the Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association (WOEMA), and of the Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC), is to equitably promote and protect the health, safety, and well-being of all individuals at work and in their environment through education, engagement, leadership and advocacy. WOEMA advocates for health equity through justice, diversity and inclusion. The Benefits of MembershipThe American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine and its component society, the Western Occupational & Environmental Medicine Association, are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care in occupational and environmental medicine through Education, Service and Leadership. Your membership will enhance the stature and recognition of the specialty and strengthen the voice of OEM in health policy debates while promoting new levels of competency in the prevention and treatment of illness, injury, and disability in the work environment and community. ACOEM/WOEMA members enjoy numerous practical benefits:
Learn MoreBlack History Month 2023This month, the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Committee invites you to join WOEMA as we celebrate Black History Month, an annual commemoration of achievements by African Americans and a time to recognize their central role in US history. In the United States, the population of Black or African American alone or in combination is over 49 million. And 33.7% of employed Black population age 16 and older works in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2021. The 2023 theme for Black History month “Inspiring Change,” celebrates the contributions of African Americans to overcoming racial inequities and promoting opportunities for equal advancement within the Black community. “ History, Despite it’s wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but faced with courage, need not be lived again”- Maya Angelou
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