Life After the DOccMed: How to Get Your First Job in Occupational Health

You've passed the DOccMed — what happens next?

Congratulations. You've put in the work, passed your DOccMed examinations and now have a qualification in occupational medicine.

Then comes the question many newly qualified doctors ask:

"How do I actually get my first job in occupational health?"

The honest answer is that getting your first OH job can be tricky.

You may see job adverts asking for six months, one year or even several years of occupational medicine experience. You may apply for positions and receive rejections. You may start wondering whether employers expect you to have experience before anyone will give you the opportunity to gain experience.

The good news is that persistence really does matter.

Don't be discouraged by job descriptions. If you meet most of the requirements and think the role would be suitable, apply anyway. You never know who is reviewing the applications, what experience they are actually looking for, or whether the employer might be willing to develop someone who has recently completed the DOccMed.

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The biggest challenge: getting that first OH experience

Occupational medicine is one of those specialties where experience is incredibly valuable and titles matter less.

The DOccMed gives you a foundation of knowledge, but working as an occupational physician allows you to develop skills that are difficult to learn purely from textbooks or examinations. It is also important to note that the DOccMed is an introduction to the speciality and does not set you up for independent practice.

What you may be expected to be involved in when you start work:

• Conducting occupational health assessments
• Managing complex cases
• Writing high-quality management reports
• Advising employers while maintaining confidentiality
• Understanding workplace hazards
• Applying occupational health legislation
• Advising on reasonable adjustments
• Managing difficult consultations
• Managing complaints if the employee's expectations aren't met
• Assessing fitness for specific roles including safety-critical
• Working within an OH multidisciplinary team
• Understanding the commercial realities of occupational health

The problem is that you need opportunities to develop these skills.

That's why your first role is about much more than the salary or job title.

Your priority should be finding an environment where you can develop safely, with appropriate supervision and support.

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1. Don't be afraid to apply for jobs asking for experience

This is probably one of the most important pieces of advice.

You may see an advert saying:

"Applicants should have at least six months' experience in occupational medicine."

Don't automatically assume you shouldn't apply.

Job descriptions often describe the ideal candidate, rather than an absolute minimum requirement.

If you have:

• Completed the DOccMed
• A genuine interest in occupational medicine
• Relevant clinical experience
• Good communication skills
• An understanding of occupational health principles
• A willingness to learn
• A professional approach

then apply.

The worst outcome is that you don't get shortlisted.

The best outcome?

You get an interview and someone decides that you're exactly the person they're looking for.

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2. Supervision early in your career is extremely important

If you are newly qualified, one of the most important things you can look for is good supervision.

This is particularly important if you're considering undertaking independent occupational health work in the future.

Occupational medicine involves complex decisions that can have significant consequences for employees and employers.

You may encounter cases involving:

• Long-term sickness absence
• Mental health conditions and neurodiversity
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Disability and reasonable adjustments
• Fitness for safety-critical work
• Ill-health retirement
• Health surveillance
• Workplace exposures
• Complex ethical situations
• Conflicting employee and employer expectations

Having someone experienced to discuss these cases with can be invaluable.

What does good supervision look like?

A good supervisor should provide an environment where you can:

• Discuss difficult cases
• Explore your clinical reasoning
• Ask questions without feeling uncomfortable
• Review your reports
• Discuss ethical or confidentiality issues
• Understand when referral is appropriate
• Develop your consultation skills
• Reflect on your decisions
• Gradually take on more responsibility

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3. Be cautious about working independently too early

It can be tempting to start doing independent occupational health work if you are struggling to find an employed OH role.

There are opportunities for doctors to provide independent assessments, consultancy or locum services, but think carefully before taking on work without appropriate support.

Being qualified doesn't mean you can be completely independent from day one.

You should consider:

• Who will supervise you?
• Who can you contact about a difficult case?
• Who reviews your reports?
• What indemnity arrangements are in place?
• What happens if you encounter a complex medico-legal issue?
• Who provides clinical governance?
• How are complaints managed?
• What happens if you're unsure about fitness for safety-critical work?
• Do you have access to appropriate occupational medicine guidance?

If you can't answer these questions, pause before accepting the work.

Independent work can come later

There is nothing wrong with developing your experience gradually.

Your early career should be about building competence and confidence, not simply trying to maximise the amount of work you can undertake.

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4. Get on LinkedIn

If you don't already have a LinkedIn profile, now is a good time to create one.

Occupational medicine is a relatively small professional community, and networking can be surprisingly valuable.

Your LinkedIn profile doesn't need to be complicated.

At a minimum, include:

• Your medical qualification
• DOccMed qualification
• Current clinical role
• Occupational medicine interests
• Relevant courses
• Professional experience
• Contact details or an appropriate way to connect

You can also follow:

• Occupational health physicians
• OH providers
• NHS occupational health departments
• Occupational medicine organisations
• Faculty of Occupational Medicine
• Society of Occupational Medicine
• Occupational health recruiters

You don't necessarily need to make a big announcement every week.

Just being visible and connected can help.

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5. Network through the Society of Occupational Medicine

The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) can be a particularly useful resource for doctors starting their OH careers.

Society of Occupational Medicine

Look out for local SOM meetings and events.

These can be a great way to meet people working in occupational medicine in your area.

Don't underestimate the value of simply introducing yourself:

"I've recently completed my DOccMed and I'm looking to develop my career in occupational medicine. I'd really like to gain some experience and learn more about the local OH services."

You may be surprised how receptive experienced OH professionals can be.

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6. Consider the SOM mentorship scheme

Mentorship can be particularly useful when you're trying to work out where to take your career.

The SOM has a mentorship scheme that can provide an opportunity to connect with more experienced professionals.

A mentor may be able to help you with:

• Career planning
• Understanding different OH career paths
• CV advice
• Interview preparation
• Networking
• Developing your professional interests
• Understanding the OH job market
• Navigating your first few years after the DOccMed

This is particularly valuable because occupational medicine has a number of different career pathways.

You don't necessarily need to decide immediately whether you want to work in:

• NHS occupational health
• Private OH
• Industry
• Government
• Academia
• Independent practice

Your first job is an opportunity to explore what suits you.

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7. Consider shadowing an Occupational Health Physician

If you're struggling to secure your first role, shadowing can be an excellent way to gain insight and make professional connections.

Consider approaching:

NHS Occupational Health Services

Contact local NHS OH departments and ask whether they offer opportunities to observe occupational health practice.

You may be able to observe:

• Management referrals
• Health surveillance
• Pre-placement assessments
• Multidisciplinary OH meetings
• Workplace assessments

Private Occupational Health Providers

Private providers may offer a different perspective, particularly around:

• Commercial occupational health
• Large-scale case management
• Corporate contracts
• Safety-critical assessments
• Health surveillance
• Service delivery

Individual Occupational Health Physicians

Don't be afraid to contact an individual OHP professionally and ask whether they would be willing to allow you to shadow them.

Keep the request concise and professional.

The SOM also maintains information about opportunities for shadowing, which can be another useful starting point.

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8. Shadowing isn't just about gaining experience

Shadowing has another major benefit:

It helps you work out what type of OH career you actually want.

You might discover that you love:

• Complex case management

But dislike:

• High-volume telephone assessments.

Or perhaps you enjoy:

• Workplace visits and health surveillance

more than:

• Desk-based management referrals.

You won't necessarily know this until you've experienced different environments.

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Big OH company vs small OH company

One of the questions you may face when applying for your first job is:

"Should I work for a large occupational health provider or a smaller one?"

There isn't a universally correct answer.

Both can offer excellent experience, but the working environment can be very different.

My experience?

From speaking to colleagues, larger OH companies can be excellent for gaining a lot of experience quickly, particularly because you may see a high volume and wide variety of occupational health cases.

In my personal experience, smaller companies can feel more personable, and you may develop closer relationships with senior colleagues and become involved in a broader range of activities.

Neither is automatically better.

For your first role, I'd prioritise the quality of supervision, the breadth of experience and the learning environment over the size of the company.

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What should you look for in your first OH job?

When comparing opportunities, don't just ask:

"How much does it pay?"

Ask:

Clinical development

• What types of cases will I see?
• Will I undertake workplace visits?
• Will I be involved in health surveillance?
• Will I see complex cases?
• Will I have exposure to different industries?

Supervision

• Who will supervise me?
• How often will supervision occur?
• Can I discuss cases with a senior OHP?
• Is there formal clinical governance?

Workload

• How many assessments are expected per day?
• How long is allocated to each consultation?
• How much time is available for report writing?
• Is there protected time for CPD?

Development

• Is there support for further qualifications like the MFOM Part 2/AFOM or even CESR?
• Are there opportunities to undertake further training such as appointed doctor work, HAVS, MRO, OEUK etc?
• Can I develop specialist interests?
• Are there opportunities to attend conferences or courses?

These questions can tell you far more about a job than the salary alone.

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A practical strategy if you can't find a job

If you've completed the DOccMed and you're struggling to get your first role, don't simply sit and wait for vacancies.

Build your own opportunities.

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Don't give up after a few rejections

Your first OH job may not happen immediately.

You might apply for five jobs.

Or ten.

Or more.

That doesn't necessarily mean you're unsuitable for occupational medicine.

The transition from completing the DOccMed to obtaining your first role can take time.

Keep applying. Keep networking. Keep learning. Keep meeting people in the specialty.

A rejection from one employer doesn't mean that another employer won't give you an opportunity.

And remember:

You only need one employer to say yes.

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The DOccMed is the beginning, not the end

Passing the DOccMed is an achievement, but it shouldn't be viewed as the end of your occupational medicine journey.

It's the foundation on which you can build your career.

The next stage is about developing real-world competence.

Get exposure to different workplaces.

See different types of cases.

Learn from experienced OHPs.

Ask questions.

Get supervision.

Attend SOM meetings.

Build your professional network.

And most importantly, give yourself time to develop.

You don't need to know everything immediately.

You just need to keep moving forward.