Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42706823›Full record

ArticleAnnals of occupational and environmental medicine2026

Korean occupational and environmental medicine specialists: demand-supply projections.

Hee-Tae Kang, Hye-Eun Lee, Mo-Yeol Kang, Chungwon Kang, Kyong-Sok Shin, Hyeon-Taek Heo, Yong Lim Won, Jungwon Kim

Abstract read
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Article in Annals of occupational and environmental medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Hee-Tae KangDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea. oemkang@yonsei.ac.kr.
Hye-Eun LeeDepartment of Social and Preventive Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Mo-Yeol KangDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Chungwon KangDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hanil General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kyong-Sok ShinSojunghan Industrial Health Institute Corp., Seoul, Korea.
Hyeon-Taek HeoHealth Examination Bureau, Korean Industrial Health Association, Daejeon, Korea.
Yong Lim WonQuality Assurance and Analysis Department, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Ulsan, Korea.
Jungwon KimDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Funding

Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental MedicineKorea Occupational Safety and Health AgencyOccupational Safety and Health Research Institute 2025-OSHRI-1923
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundKorea has experienced changes in the balance between the demand for and supply of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) specialists due to recent policy and environmental shifts. This study projected demand and supply for these specialists for 2025-2035, focusing on those working in special health examination institutions and occupational health management agencies.

methodsDemand was estimated by applying 2024 average workloads per OEM specialist to projected volumes of special health examinations and outsourced occupational health management for 2025-2035 under four scenarios that varied growth in outsourced management and the share of OEM specialists among participating physicians. Supply was projected using registration and official statistics for 1,010 specialists certified by 2025, combined with detailed residency cohort data, assumptions on future quotas, completion, and age at certification, and age-specific proportions working in the two institution types.

resultsAverage workloads in 2024 were 4,793 workers per OEM specialist for special health examinations and 9,193 workers per physician for outsourced occupational health management. The number of OEM specialists younger than 90 years is projected to increase from 968 in 2025 to 1,244 in 2035, with those working in the two institution types increasing from 697 to 910. Depending on the scenario, demand in 2035 ranges from 838 to 943 specialists, with supply exceeding demand in three scenarios but remaining 33 specialists short in the most expansionary scenario.

conclusionsShort-term shortages of OEM specialists are likely but remain highly manageable, after which surplus capacity is expected. Policy efforts should therefore stabilize OEM residency pipelines and prepare institutional mechanisms to deploy surplus specialists beyond special health examinations and outsourced occupational health management.

Indexed as

Health services needs and demandHealth workforceOccupational medicineSupply and distribution

Identifiers

PMID42706823
PMCPMC13648145

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.