Occupational and Environmental Medicine Fundamentals
Overview
Our principal occupational medicine rotation occurs at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) in Bremerton, Washington. We spend three weeks learning and practicing occupational medicine, as well as going on a great variety of tours around the shipyard. The shipyard in Bremerton is the Pacific Northwest's largest Naval shore facility and one of Washington state's largest industrial installations. Nearby is the Trident Refit Facility, the largest command at Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor, near Silverdale, Washington.
Occupational Medicine
Occupational medicine is unique among the medical specialties in that the physician is expected to balance and protect both the needs of the workers as well as the needs of the employer. This important distinction requires a shift in mindset from the traditional patient-centered approach. Once grasped, the physician can navigate complicated situations while keeping the worker and the employer safe. During this occupational medicine rotation, residents practice being part of this process in a busy industrial shipyard. Opportunities for the various types of physicals include:
Medical surveillance examinations for workers enrolled in the full spectrum of monitoring programs, including asbestos, heavy metals, chemical hazards, respirator use, noise, vibration, and many more.
Department of Transportation (DOT) physicals.
Radiation health physicals.
Location
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington.
Length
3 weeks.
Shipyard Tours
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) in Bremerton, Washington. The Hammerhead Crane (top left) is iconic, and although it is no longer in operation, tours are still available. A worker (bottom left) repairs a carrier rudder bore.
USS Pennsylvania
USS Georgia
Explore the Pacific Northwest
There are many things to do using Bremerton as your launching point. You can take a ferry over to Seattle and check out the Fish Market and the original Starbucks. Drive to Quilcene, Olympic National Park, or Mt. Ranier to explore and hike. Take a (different) ferry over to Anacortes and check out the island vibe. If you have never been to the PNW, this is definitely an excellent opportunity to discover what it is all about.
Seattle, as seen from the Space Needle tower.
The emblematic Washington State ferry.
Olympic National Park.
Hiking in Quilcene.
Sunset view from Mt. Townsend.
The Olympic Game Farm in Sequim.
Image Credits
The images from the shipyard came from online sources. They are representative of the resident experience. Because the shipyard is a secure location, personal cameras are not allowed without specific clearance (something about submarines being super secret blah, blah blah).