Occupational medicine. A new focus for general internal medicine.

In the past two decades, occupational medicine has advanced from a formerly clinical discipline to one focused on epidemiology and toxicology. However, because efforts to prevent occupational disease by concerted application of industrial hygiene have not eliminated the problem, there remains a strong need for clinical interventions. Appropriate interventions could result in a further substantial reduction in the morbidity and mortality of work-connected illness. Unfortunately, neither adequate training nor the necessary scientific foundation for clinical decision making presently exist. Studies are needed to characterize the modern spectra and natural histories of virtually all recognized occupational diseases and to evaluate the efficacy of available therapeutic strategies. Sections of general internal medicine potentially offer an ideal academic setting to address these educational and scientific deficiencies.