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How Occupational medicine was established in Bergen

In 1990 ”Occupational medicine” was established at the University of Bergen, due to a donation from The Norwegian Medical Association (NMA).

The purpose was to

a)      Establish teaching in the topic for medical students

b)      Establish a research unit

c)      Establish courses for personnel in occupational health

 

The name changed during the years

At first, the unit was called ”Institutt for bedriftsmedisin”, meaning the department of company medicine, as this expression was more used at this time in Norway.

This was soon changed to ”Institutt for arbeidsmedisin”, meaning the department of occupational medicine; to make it clear that the work here was relevant both for specialists working at hospitals with occupational medicine and for company doctors working in the companies.

After three years, the expression “Institutt” was removed, as this group was included in the ordinary university system, as a part of the Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care. At first the group was called “Section for occupational medicine”. In 2009 the section was defined as a research group and changed name into “Occupational and Environmental Medicine”.

 

The tasks performed

a) Teaching

Occupational medicine has since 1990 been a topic for medical students.

A master study in ”Occupational Hygiene” has been established for international students at the Centre for International Health at The University of Bergen.

 

b) Research

The research group is now well established and fifteen persons have graduated with a PhD in occupational medicine. The group has performed several large projects for the industry and have also had several large grants from the Norwegian Research Council.

 

c) Teaching occupational health personnel

A handbook in Occupational health has been written by the group, revised once.