Robert M. Bourgeois, MD, MPH, FACOEM, is an Occupational and Environmental Medicine physician based in Louisiana, an ABPM Diplomate, and a member of ABPM’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine Exam Subcommittee. He is also a proud member of the Louisiana State University Health Science Center Class of 1983, which celebrates its 40-year class reunion this year.

Dr. Bourgeois talked to us about his career, the value he finds in board certification, and his advice for young physicians – and shared some amazing photos!

What led you to a career in medicine and, specifically, Occupational & Environmental Medicine?

My Dad and my uncle are physicians and I always admired their impact on the lives of others. I started out in a Surgery residency, but switched to an Emergency Medicine residency. I realized very early that EM was not something I wanted to be doing later in life. When I realized how much impact I could have on the health of others, especially changes through Population Health, I fell hard for OEM [Occupational and Environmental Medicine].

What is your day-to-day practice as an OEM physician like?

Everyday can be different, I never know what my day will be like until it is over. I can get a challenging question from an ocean-going vessel two weeks from the nearest land with very limited medical care; see a patient with an acute exposure to hydrofluoric acid; consult on a diver working 800 feet underwater; or review some employee medical reports to help craft a policy to improve the health of the entire group; some days I may help provide input to State or Federal agencies to improve the workplace environment, health and safety.

What would you like other (non-OEM) physicians to know about Occupational & Environmental Medicine?

OEM as a specialty is consistently ranked as one of the highest in job satisfaction. If affords you with a great life-work balance. It is difficult to find OEM physicians who hate their jobs. Many of my friends in other specialties appear to have disliked their career choices since day one.

What advice would you give to a young physician considering a career in Occupational & Environmental Medicine?

Since OEM is such a diverse and rich specialty it allows for one of the best work-life balances of ANY Specialty. The effect we have with population health impacting so many lives at once is very gratifying. I have so many friends that wish that they were in another specialty but didn’t know about OEM until now. They are always blown away by the things that we are able to do in OEM.

  Why did you choose to become certified and what is the value of board certification for you?

I became board certified because many companies / clients seek those physicians with additional expertise. Being board certified in OEM opened a lot of doors from me. My Emergency Medicine boards only helped me with large hospitals and trauma centers, not so much with most corporate work.

How would you describe your experience as a volunteer for the ABPM exam item-writing subcommittee?

I have used my clinical skills to try to write questions that relate to realistic patient experiences. Instead of a memorization of facts, these questions are meant to be reasoned.

What value have you received as a member of the subcommittee?

Keeping up with new diseases, evaluations, treatments and preventions that we may not see in our practice is challenging. By helping to write some of these questions, it makes new learning more enjoyable.

Any notable stories from your interactions with ABPM?

When ABPM supported having Preventive Medicine, Aerospace and Occupational & Environmental Medicine listed as separate specialties through ACGME, I was serving as the ACOEM President. Working with ABPM to facilitate this change I was able to see how hard the ABPM works for us all. The added visibility of our specialties is crucial to attracting more physicians to our residency programs.

What hobbies or other activities do you enjoy outside of work?

We enjoy travelling, fishing, hunting, anything in the outdoors and family time. OEM allowed me to do all of these things throughout my career. I don’t think I would have been able to do nearly as much in any of my prior specialties.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the ABPM community about yourself?

I can’t imagine being happier in any specialty other than Occupational & Environmental Medicine. I am blessed to have been able to do work that I truly love. Thank you, ABPM and ACOEM.