The scope of international occupational medical practice

The international physician has a tremendous scope of responsibility. Clini cal care and its management, occupational and environmental medicine, trave l medicine, marine and aviation medicine, public health and other disciplin es must be addressed. Programmes must include expatriates, national citizen s, travellers, families, extended families, and the surrounding communities . Moreover, in the international context, the occupational physician is a r epresentative of the company in the host country. Furthermore, the knowledg e required is not only vast, but changes rapidly. It requires not only clin ical acumen, but also the ability to effectively design and implement many types of programmes in the context of the customs and regulations of the co untry and with the guidance of management.