WOHC ATTENDEES - ENDURING CONTENT NOW OPEN!

Recorded content from WOHC 2023 is now available to registered WOEMA members and non-members who purchased enduring content and will be available for AMA and Nursing Enduring Credit.
Use the same login credentials for the enduring content that you used at the in person meeting in Anaheim. 
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS ENDURING CONTENT  
If you did not attend WOHC 2023, you can still access our outstanding educational program and earn CME or Nursing Credit.  
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR ENDURING CONTENT
 

DWC Announces New Online Education Courses on Medical Legal Report Writing for QMEs and Others

The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is announcing new online education courses starting this month to help physicians and others with medical legal reports.
 
The courses were developed in collaboration with UC Berkeley Center for Occupational and Environmental Health and are recommended for Qualified Medical Evaluators (QMEs), clinicians, nurses and others involved in California’s workers’ compensation system.
 
The courses include a four-part online lecture series led by experts in the field on topics including: Navigating QME Requirements, Evidence-Based Evaluation, Mitigating Implicit Bias, and Unraveling Complexities. The online courses will be held on October 6, October 20, November 17 and December 15, 2023, from 12-3:30 p.m. (Pacific Time.) Participants can register per course or for the entire series.

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WOEMA STANDS WITH ALL AFFECTED BY THE HAWAI'I WILDFIRES

Dear WOEMA members,

In the midst of breathtaking landscapes and tranquil shores, our beloved state of Hawaii is facing a formidable challenge - raging wildfires that have left a trail of destruction in their wake. Our hearts go out to the individuals, families, and communities who have been affected by this devastating natural disaster.

As we witness the heartbreaking impact of these wildfires, let us remember that unity and compassion are the cornerstones of recovery. It's in times like these that the true spirit of Ohana shines through. Let us come together, hand in hand, to extend our unwavering support to those who have lost their homes, their belongings, and in some cases, their sense of security.

Through the darkness of this ordeal, stories of heroism and selflessness emerge, reminding us of the strength of the human spirit. Firefighters, first responders, and volunteers have been working tirelessly to protect lives and property, embodying the essence of aloha and demonstrating that our community stands strong, no matter the adversity.

LEARN HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

 

About WOEMA

Our 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 Membership

The 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:

  • MAINTAINING CERTIFICATION
  • PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS
  • CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
  • PRESTIGE
  • PROFESSIONAL DISCOUNTS
  • ACTION FOR CHANGE
  • FUN!
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WOEMA Mourns the Passing of Walt Newman

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our past WOEMA President, dear friend, and colleague Walt Newman. His family announced that Walt passed away peacefully on Saturday July 22, 2023.

Walt will always be remembered in the WOEMA family, an original WOHC Brother and "bon vivant” he always carried himself with warmth and kindness. Walt was a man of service: he showed the utmost enthusiasm for all his service-related endeavors from membership in WOEMA to serving California’s farm workers.

Walt was a past Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC) Chairman, and WOEMA President. One of his many contributions as President of WOEMA was his testimony before the group of legislators who helped craft the reforms in the California workers’ compensation system’s regulations that codified Independent Medical Review as the remedy for resolving utilization review treatment disputes. Thanks to Walt WOEMA had a voice at the table in Sacramento, CA, where the reforms were crafted. Most recently, Walt was an active and ardent member of WOEMA’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee.

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WOEMA Podcasts

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WOEMA Podcasts

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Heart of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Stephanie Stephens
Originally Published on Health eCAREERS
December 08, 2022 • 8 min read

Across 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.
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