About Us

The Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in UC Irvine's School of Medicine is dedicated to the evaluation, treatment and prevention of health problems related to the environment and the workplace.

Division faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized experts in basic, clinical and translational research on workplace and environmental health. Within the division, the key disciplines are occupational and environmental medicine, epidemiology and toxicology. Our physicians are the largest group of board-certified occupational medicine physicians in Orange County and are a vital clinical resource for people and employers in communities across Southern California.

The division, a core program of UC Irvine's highly regarded Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH), was established in 1993 to provide a broad range of occupational and environmental health services as well as to train the occupational health experts of the future. The division also provides continuing training to other health professionals, communities, businesses, schools and government agencies.

Division faculty members have been awarded significant grants and contracts for numerous research projects. Areas of study include: pulmonary effects of air pollution; neurological and reproductive effects of pesticides, metals and other toxic agents; environmental factors in children's health and development, and the delivery of occupational health services.

The division also has one of the nation's leading research programs examining on workplace organization, going beyond the study of toxic chemicals and safety hazards to analyze the cardiovascular effects of occupational stress as well as the health impacts of how work is structured. Faculty members also are heavily involved in the National Children's Study, one of the largest birth cohort studies ever developed.

The division offers one of the most competitive occupational medicine residency programs in the nation. Residents complete rotations at a variety of field sites, gaining hands-on experience in managing occupational health issues. They also have unique opportunities to work with leading researchers and conduct import studies, both in the laboratory and in the field. Residency program graduates are well prepared for the comprehensive practice of occupational medicine in a variety of settings. Many are leaders in corporate occupational and public health practice.

The division also offers a strong graduation training program in environmental toxicology, which can lead to the master of science of doctor of philosphy degree. These students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to teach and/or conduction research programs in inhalation/pulmonary toxicology, chemical pathology, toxicokinetics, radiation toxicology, exposure sciences and risk assessment. 

It is the mission of every member of the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine to train the best scientists and clinicians, to make new contributions through research and to provide the best, most advanced care to our patients.