Entry requirements

Required previous knowledge is decided by the Committee for Undergraduate Medical Education.

Aims

The subjects of social medicine and occupational and environmental medicine are integrated in the block of community medicine. The course is designed to provide knowledge that will enable the future physician to see a person in his/her social context and to understand how the life environment affects the state of health. One aim is to increase the student?s knowledge of ways in which health is influenced by social conditions and by factors in the working environment and the general physical environment, and of the practical management of questions concerning individual patients within the field of occupational and environmental medicine. Fundamental knowledge of epidemiology will be imparted, in order to broaden the perspective from the individual to the group for studies of health and illness in different categories of the population. The course also describes measures taken by society and the resources available to promote health and combat illness. The student is taught basic principles of preventive care. The teaching also includes the rules and regulations, the organisation and the financing of medical care services. A further aim of the course is to provide an understanding of the co-operation between the medical care services and other authorities and agencies in society, as well as knowledge of the relevant laws.

Content

The following areas will be covered:

Epidemiology and demography

Physical, chemical, biological and social health hazards

Exposure assessment

Risk assessment

Preventive medicine

Food hygiene, food toxicology

Stress ergonomics

Accident and injury prevention

Organisation of occupational and environmental medicine

Assessment of occupational injuries

Clinical social medicine including co-operation with other areas of care

Insurance medicine

Administrative medicine, including legal knowledge

Medical and health economics

Instruction

The course includes lectures, seminars, group teaching and study visits.

Assessment

In order to obtain a pass mark for the course, attendance is compulsory according to the stipulations which will be stated at the start of the course.