The cross sectional survey of occupational medicine specialties opinion about occupational medicine physician competency in Thailand by Modified Delphi technique

Abstract

Introduction: At present Thai society have high expectation to standard of physician. Occupational medicine physicianwas specialist involved with workers’health. The objective of this study was to determine expectedstandard competency for occupational medicine physician in Thailand from professional perspective.

Method: This study was a cross-sectional study. Subjects were 25 occupational medicine specialists. A modifiedDelphi survey was conducted with questionnaire about occupational medicine physician competency inThailand in 12 topics covered 3 dimensions: knowledge, experience and competence. Experts opinionscores were presented by median and interquartile range.

Result: Summary of results in each topic of competency divided into 3 groups. We found that surveillance anddisease prevention, communication, clinic, research methods, and environmental medicine were in highexpectation score group; law, toxicology, fitness for work, and hazard were in middle expectation score group; andemergency management, management and health promotion were in low expectation score group.

Discussion and Conclusion: Results from this study were occupational medicine specialists perspective if combined with other stakeholder need. This data might used as guideline for improve occupational medicine physician trainingcurriculum in the future.

Key words: Competency, Occupational medicine physician, Modified Delphi technique