03/05/2026 - 03/06/2026: Workers in the U.S. and Worldwide: "An Endangered Species?" and Updates in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Thursday, March 5 - Friday, March 6, 2026

Workers in the U.S. and Worldwide: "An Endangered Species?" and Updates in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Course Description

The course is presented by the Division of Occupational, Environmental and Climate Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

Thursday, March 5, 2026 - Day 1 provides insights about workers in the US and worldwide.  It offers an exploration of emerging and persistent challenges in occupational and environmental medicine, with direct implications for patient care and workplace health advocacy. Topics include the re-emergence of silica-related disease, the analysis of fatal workplace incidents in California, and the current state and future of graduate education in the field. The day concludes with a panel discussion. 

Friday, March 6, 2026 - Day 2 provides practicing clinicians, trainees, and nurses with essential updates on emerging clinical concerns and research in occupational and environmental medicine. Topics include diagnostic and management considerations for multiple chemical sensitivity, evolving evidence on health risks from metal and nanoparticle exposure, and the integration of complementary medicine approaches in occupational healthcare. The program also addresses exposure-related health concerns among active-duty military and veterans, as well as the compounding risks of climate change—wildfires, heat, and air quality—for vulnerable working populations. Additional sessions explore the intersections between ocean and worker health and highlight key research findings from the past year. The day concludes with a poster session offering opportunities for discussion and engagement with current research and clinical applications.

Attendees will leave equipped with practical knowledge to protect workers in diverse workplaces, strengthen collaboration among the occupational health related clinical and non-clinical disciplines, and advance resilience in the face of a changing policy landscape. 

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

  • Analyze the scope of their role in integrating occupational and environmental health factors into clinical practice.
  • Integrate current medical knowledge regarding established and emerging occupational and environmental risk factors into preventive health strategies.
  • Recognize historical patterns of occupational and environmental illness and injury, and identify emergent presentations.
  • Critically appraise scientific data related to the influence of occupational and environmental factors on various disease processes.
  • Formulate comprehensive differential diagnoses that incorporate a broad spectrum of environmental and occupational etiologies for various disease processes.
  • Apply state-of-the-art updates to inform the prioritization of clinical care, research, and public health policy.
  • Implement appropriate regulatory management strategies for specific work-related scenarios.

Accreditation

Physicians:

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the California Medical Association (CMA) through the joint providership of The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, and the Division of Occupational, Environmental and Climate Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health is accredited by the CMA to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 16.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses:

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 12983, for 16.0 contact hours.

Physician Assistants:

Activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are accepted for NCCPA certification maintenance and state license renewal purposes.

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Audience

This course is designed to provide the experienced clinician with a review of the epidemiology and the evaluation of occupational and environmental diseases and injuries. The curriculum will also include a substantial component focused on issues specifically pertinent to occupationally and climate environmentally related disease. Most attendees will be occupational physicians and nurses, but some are specialists in related fields who may benefit from in-depth presentation of occupational and environmetnal medicine topics. Although targeted for physicians, occupational and environmental health professionals including policymakers and medical-legal practitioners may also benefit from the curriculum offered.

Accessibility

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Will Bellamy at coehce@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-8365 with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.