CSOEMA Connection (Spring 2026)

Welcome to the CSOEMA Connection, a quarterly e-newsletter for members, associates, and friends of the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association.

President’s Insights Around the States OEM Images of the Month 2026 CSOEMA Spring Seminar Upcoming Events AOHC 2026 CSOEMA Summer Social 2026 Lake Geneva Wisconsin OEM Advocacy Spotlight OEM Clinical Practice Highlights OEM Research Rounds Member Highlights

Become an ACOEM Fellow CSOEMA History Project ACOEM Update CSOEMA Awards Resident’s Corner Milestones T-Shirts & Other SWAG Get Engaged Support the CSOEMA Foundation Job Postings

Dear CSOEMA Colleagues,

In my neck of the woods, winter is still in full effect. However, we have had a few glimmers of Spring and hope that we have made it through a tough season. I have been watching the Olympics and have been inspired by the Olympian values of excellence, respect, and friendship. 

Over the past few months Dr. Margaret Hasek, Dr. Jui Haker, and I have been fostering new relationships with Preventive Medicine Residency programs in the Central States. We learned that the Prev Med residencies were facing similar funding issues that also plagued Occupational Medicine Residencies. We felt it was time to unite with our sister program to create more avenues for these residents to learn Occupational Medicine. We found that many graduating Prev Med residents are going into Occ Med due to the current job market. This is an opportunity to make sure that the next generation of physicians practicing Occupational Medicine are prepared. We have invited Preventive Medicine residents from Cook County Health/Northwestern and University of Wisconsin to participate in a few weeks, at the upcoming 102nd Annual CSOEMA Spring Seminar: Prevention Works: Advocating for Policy to Protect the Workforce. Please welcome these residents at this year’s Spring Seminar on March 12-14, 2026. 

This past week was also the start of Ramadan, Lunar New Year, and Lent. These different traditions all have a similar purpose: to reflect, fast, and celebrate and care for one another. As I reflect on the past year, we have seen many changes that have been challenging for medicine, research, public health, and occupational medicine. However, through the advocacy of ACOEM and other groups there have been wins to celebrate. Please read the ACOEM Winter Quarterly article, Restoring Capacity: What the Reinstatement of NIOSH Workforce Means for Worker Health. At the Spring Seminar we will also hear from ACOEM president, Dr. Laura Gillis, and AMA Board Member, Dr. David Welsh about their leadership and advocacy work. 

We also will have another opportunity to celebrate together at the American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) in Chicago, Illinois, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk from April 19-22, 2026. If you are attending AOHC, please join us in fellowship for a CSOEMA Luncheon at Lizzie McNeill’s Irish Pub on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. 

Lastly, this year will be the inaugural year of the CSOEMA Summer Social event, which will be a fundraiser for the CSOEM Foundation. On Saturday, August 1, 2026, following the annual Executive Committee meeting, please join us for a 1-hour boat tour of Lake Geneva followed by dinner at Lake City Social in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. 

The closing ceremonies of this year’s Olympics gave me an opportunity to reflect on my presidency and the shared values of the Olympians and CSEOMA members. I look back at the new friendships built over this past year. I am thankful for two wonderful planning committees, Dr. Margaret Hasek, Dr. Kristin Houseknecht, Dr. Maria Starchook Moore, and Dr. Rachel Thies, who worked so hard to create quality seminars.  I look forward to promoting excellence in Occupational Medicine, specifically in presenting this year’s awards to our colleagues that have shown initiative, leadership, and dedicated service in our specialty. Sorry, they won’t be gold, silver and bronze! Lastly, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve CSEOMA. See you soon. 

Warm Regards,

Isabel 
President, CSOEMA 
2025-2026

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Around the States

National

• NBC News (February 10, 2026): EPA to repeal its own conclusion that greenhouse gases warm the planet and threaten health. Known as the endangerment finding, the decision is the legal framework that allows the EPA to regulate emissions. Its reversal could upend many climate change policies.
  
• Harvard SPH (January 15, 2026): EPA will no longer consider health-related monetary benefits of reducing air pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will scrap its longstanding practice of calculating the economic benefits related to human health when it sets air pollution limits, according to a recently published rule. Instead, it will only consider the economic costs to industry.

• The Raw Story (February 14, 2026): Commentary: Here’s why Trump is dangerously wrong about how climate change threatens our health By Jonathan Levy, Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental Health, Boston University; Howard Frumkin, Professor Emeritus of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington; Jonathan Patz, Professor of Environmental Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Vijay Limaye, Adjunct Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

• Federal News Network (January 14, 2026): HHS reinstates all laid-off employees at workplace safety agency NIOSH. HHS walked back about a third of NIOSH layoffs last spring, but is now reinstating all NIOSH employees who received reduction-in-force notices.
  
• JD Supra (January 23, 2026): Workplace Safety Update: NIOSH Funding Restored and OSHA Hazard Communication Standard Deadlines Pushed Back – What Employers Need to Know
  
• Federal Register (January 15, 2026): Hazard Communication (HazCom) Deadline: Compliance dates for updated Hazard Communication Standards have been extended to May 19, 2026, requiring employers to update chemical labels and training programs.
  
• OSHA (May 1, 2025): OSHA Extends Heat Hazard Program: Employers Should Act Before Summer Sets In. As of February 2026, the OSHA Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standard remains in the final stages of the federal rulemaking process. While not yet a finalized law, the agency is actively moving toward implementation with a target for a final rule in mid-to-late 2026
  
• Lee Company (January 15, 2026): Heat Illness Standard: A federal Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standard remains a top priority for early 2026, targeting both indoor and outdoor work environments. Other OSHA 2026 Updates are included
  
• Occupational Safety & Health (November 20, 2025): At the Crossroads: OSHA’s New Rules and Deregulation. As 2025 closes, workplace safety stands at an intersection: New rules on PPE fit and heat stress signal stronger worker protections, while deregulatory proposals will reshape how employers will manage compliance in 2026.
  
• NIH (February 3, 2026): NIH Opens East Palestine, Ohio Health Research Office to Study Train Disaster. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, opened the East Palestine Train Derailment Health Research Program Office to assess and address the long-term health outcomes stemming from the 2023 train derailment in the community.
  
• Center for American Progress (February 4, 2026): How the Trump Administration’s Embrace of Oil, Gas, and Chemical Industry Interests Will Endanger Children’s Health. The Trump administration’s actions to eliminate lifesaving environmental protections would allow corporate polluters to emit more toxins and chemicals, exposing more than 2 million kids to pollutants that increase the likelihood of lifelong health concerns—such as asthma, autism, ADHD, and cancer—while undercutting the administration’s own “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
  
• PBS (February 13, 2026): Trump calls climate change threat to public health ‘a scam’ but scientific findings show otherwise. The Trump administration on Thursday revoked a scientific finding that climate change is a danger to public health, an idea that President Donald Trump called “a scam.” But repeated scientific studies say it’s a documented and quantifiable harm.
  
• CBS News (February 5, 2026): Wildfire smoke pollution linked to tens of thousands of deaths in U.S. per year, study finds. Chronic exposure to pollution from wildfires has been linked to tens of thousands of deaths annually in the United States, according to a new study.
  
• The Guardian (January 28, 2026): ‘Shameful’: Trump’s EPA accused of prioritizing big business over public health. A year into Trump’s second term, critics say the EPA is rolling back dozens of protections and giving a leg up to polluters.
  
• Chemistry World (January 6, 2026): Leading environmental health journal defunded by Trump administration has been saved. Environmental Health Perspectives will be hosted on the ACS’s website in the near future. After the top journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) went dark in December after the Trump administration cut funding to its parent organisation, the American Chemical Society (ACS) has stepped in and will now run it.
  
• PBS Newshour (February 17, 2026): U.S. rejection of new mRNA flu vaccine ‘sends chills,’ epidemiologist says. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced recently that it will not review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, despite late-stage trials showing it was safe and effective. The rejection has many in and outside the industry concerned about the Trump administration’s approach to vaccine development and recommendations.
  
• CIDRAP (January 26, 2026): CIDRAP launches new partnerships to support independent, evidence-based vaccine information. The University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) today announced new partnerships with Unbiased Science and The Evidence Collective (TEC) to strengthen efforts to expand access to clear, evidence-based vaccine information and counter inaccurate and misleading claims by delivering accurate information through the channels people rely on, in language that is accessible and familiar.
  
• NPR (January 5, 2026): Health officials slash the number of vaccines recommended for all kids. In an unprecedented change, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reducing the number of immunizations routinely recommended for all children from 17 to 11.  On the new schedule, vaccines that had previously been recommended for all children — such as those for rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, meningitis and seasonal flu — are now more restricted. They are recommended only for those at high risk or after consultation with a health care provider, a category called “shared decision-making.”

• NPR (February 13, 2026): A familiar move with a new twist: Trump tries to cut CDC funds he just signed into law. It was deja vu from 2025: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week announced more than $600 million in cuts to public health grants in California, Illinois, Colorado, and Minnesota — four Democratic-led states.

• PR Newswire (January 26, 2026): Brayton Purcell LLP Highlights Alarming Rise of Silicosis Among Artificial Stone Countertop Workers; InvestigateTV Report Reveals Human Toll.  Brayton Purcell LLP is drawing urgent attention to a nationwide health crisis intensified by new reporting from InvestigateTV, which documents devastating cases of silicosis among workers who fabricate crystalline silica artificial stone slabs—also referred to as quartz, engineered, artificial, or manufactured stone.
  
• KQED (January 16, 2026): Stone Industry Proposes Self-Policing as California Weighs Artificial Stone Ban. Facing a proposal in California to ban the use of a popular countertop material linked to a growing lung disease killing stonecutters, industry representatives said they are taking steps to self-police and tackle the crisis.
  
• Inside Climate News (January 17, 2026): As Artificial Stone Countertops Kill Workers, House Republicans Discuss Protections—for Manufacturers. Sponsors of a new bill want to give the industry immunity from lawsuits brought by injured employees. That will kill even more workers, experts warn.
   
• NewsMedical.net (February 5, 2026): Paid sick leave emerges as key workplace support for frontline workers, new study shows. New evidence shows how paid sick leave may buffer stress, improve job satisfaction, and support frontline worker resilience during infectious disease crises.
  
• BBC (February 3, 2026): Seven million cancers a year are preventable, says report. A report by World Health Organization (WHO) scientists estimates 37% of cancers are caused by infections, lifestyle choices, and environmental pollutants that could be avoided.
  
• NewsMedical.net (February 4, 2026): Study reveals what drives PFAS exposure in firefighters and how risks may be reduced. New research in U.S. firefighters reveals how workplace practices, personal factors, and environmental exposures shape PFAS levels, offering insights into practical strategies to reduce long-term chemical exposure risk.
  
• Harvard SPH (February 5, 2026): From air pollution to disease outbreaks: Assessing health impacts of Trump administration policies
  
• Harvard SPH (February 5, 2026): Genetic difference may help explain wide variation in COVID severity. A specific genetic difference in a gene called RTP5—known to be involved in smell and taste perception—was linked to a higher risk of early death in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19, according to a study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Illinois

• Governing (Jan. 23, 2026): Illinois’ Oil Boom Left Behind a $160 Million Cleanup Bill. Thousands of unplugged wells from a century of drilling are leaking pollution, while the state struggles to track money meant to fix the problem.
  
• Fisher Phillips (December 15, 2025): New 2026 Labor Laws: Effective January 1, 2026, several new safety-related laws took effect, including the Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act, which now mandates compensated break time at an employee’s regular pay rate; and the updates to the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA): Amendments effective January 1, 2026, prohibit retaliation against employees who use company devices to record incidents of violence for safety purposes.
  
• Illinoisworkerscomplaw.com (January 29, 2026): The Ten Biggest Work Safety Violations From 2025

Indiana

• American Lung Association (April 22, 2025): New ‘State of the Air’ Report Finds Hoosiers Are Breathing Some of the Most Polluted Air in the Country. American Lung Association’s 26th Annual “State of the Air” report ranks Greater Indianapolis among the most polluted areas for ozone and particle pollution
  
• Indianapolis Star (September 15, 2025): Hoosiers living near steel mills will have to wait 2 more years for cleaner air. The EPA has delayed stricter pollution standards for steel mills for roughly two years, prompting lawsuits from environmental and community groups concerned about continued exposure to toxic emissions. Advocates in Northwest Indiana warn that the delay will prolong significant health risks for residents living near coal-burning facilities.

Iowa

• KCRG 9 ABC (Feb. 5, 2026): Iowa House lawmakers advance bill to eliminate vaccine requirements for students. Iowa could become the first state to eliminate vaccine requirements for elementary and secondary students under a bill that advanced Wednesday.

Kansas

• Kansas Health Institute (April 28, 2025):  Understanding Occupational Fatalities and Injuries in Kansas: Data and Insights

Minnesota

• Star Tribune (September 29, 2025): MnDOT employees pause work to remember contractors killed on the job. Employees agency-wide will participate in a mandatory standdown of work and recommit to safety.
  
• League of Minnesota Cities (February 19, 2025): Enhancing Workplace Safety: Hazard Communication and Minnesota Employee Right-to-Know. In fiscal year 2024, Hazard Communication (HazCom) and Minnesota Employee Right-to-Know (ERTK) ranked among MN OSHA’s top ten most frequently cited violations. This highlights the critical need for employers to maintain compliance with these standards to ensure workplace safety.
  
• Minnesota Reformer (May 2, 2025): Gov. Walz signs new scuba safety standards following two worker deaths. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill creating new safety standards for workers who use scuba equipment to remove underwater weeds from lakes, following the deaths of two young and inexperienced divers.

Missouri

• Safety+Health Magazine (September 5, 2025): Missouri governor signs bill that claws back sick leave provisions. A new Missouri law repeals a proposition – approved by a majority of voters – that granted certain workers paid sick leave.

Nebraska

• Nebraska Public Media (January 27, 2026): Bill abolishing workplace safety committees advances. A requirement for Nebraska businesses to have safety committees to protect workers would be abolished under a bill advancing in the Legislature.
  
• Occupational Safety and Health (February 10, 2026): OSHA Cites Nebraska Biofuels Company After Fatal Explosion. In February 2026, OSHA proposed nearly $148,000 in fines against Horizon Biofuels in Fremont, NE, following a deadly July 2025 explosion. The incident, which killed an employee and two children, was attributed to combustible dust buildup and a failure to protect equipment from ignition sources.

North Dakota

• Valley News Live (April 28, 2025): Report says North Dakota is sixth most dangerous state for workers. The AFL-CIO released its annual survey of workplace safety, and it says North Dakota is the sixth most dangerous state for workers. It says nearly seven out of every 100,000 workers in the state died on the job in the past year.
  
• Loss Prevention Magazine (April 1, 2025): Top 10 US States with the Highest Workplace Fatality Rates. North Dakota is the second most dangerous state for work-related injuries, with an average of 7.72 fatalities per 100,000 workers between 2021 and 2023. The Roughrider State reported an average of 32.33 fatal incidents over the three-year period, reaching its peak of 37 incidents in 2022; due to high fatality rates in agriculture and construction

South Dakota

• KOTA (December 26, 2025): Trump signs Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, recognizing firefighter cancer as line-of-duty death. The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act updates the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to include 20 types of cancer.

Wisconsin

• Cap Times (Aug 22, 2025): Unions react as hotter summers pose challenges for Wisconsin workers. For skilled trade workers in Wisconsin, enduring heat has long been part of the job, but two organized labor advocates say extreme summer temperatures are making long hours outdoors more dangerous.
  
• Am J Indust Med (July 22, 2025): Cow-Related Injuries in Wisconsin During 2017−2023. This analysis aimed to describe cow-related injuries, the utilization of workers’ compensation, and the circumstances of the injuries. During 2017–2023, cow-related injuries represented 13.1% (n = 2659) of agricultural injuries and were the second most predominant cause of work-related agricultural injuries. Young workers (12−34 years) and Hispanic workers had the highest burden for cow-related injuries. The top five body parts affected by cow injuries were the upper (24%) and lower (23%) extremities, other head, face, and neck (22.1%), chest (15.2%), and traumatic brain injury (5.1%). Workers’ compensation was used in 28.5% of cases identified in the hospital discharge data. Animal handling, lack of farm worker safety measures, and equipment safety were identified as factors associated with cow-related injuries

OEM Images of the Month

Source: Incze MA, Kneifati-Hayek JZ. Where can I find reliable information about vaccines? JAMA Intern Med. Published online January 30, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.0129

As of February 12, 2026, 910 confirmed* measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026. Among these, 904 measles cases were reported by 24 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York City, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. A total of 6 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States.

There have been 5 new outbreaks** reported in 2026, and 90% of confirmed cases (822 of 910) are outbreak-associated (62 from outbreaks in 2026 and 760 from outbreaks that started in 2025).

For the full year of 2025, a total of 2,280 confirmed* measles cases were reported in the United States. Among these, 2,255 measles cases were reported by 45 jurisdictions: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. A total of 25 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States.

There were 49 outbreaks** reported in 2025, and 89% of confirmed cases (2,034 of 2,280) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html

102nd Annual 2026 CSOEMA Spring Seminar on March 12-14, 2026

Save the Date for the 102nd Annual 2026 CSOEMA Spring Seminar.  We hope you will join us in the Spring for From Policy to Prevention: Advocating for Policy to Protect the Workforce on March 12-14, 2025, in Lisle, IL, as a live in-person and online event. Attend the event for professional enrichment, continuing medical education credits, and fellowship with your OccMed colleagues.  Visit the CSOEMA website to register for this event.

Is there a particular topic you would like presented at the next CSOEMA Seminar?  Do you have a presentation that you would like to share?  We are always looking for talented, interesting speakers for our Seminars.  Do you or someone you know have a presentation or topic that would interest our membership?  Let us know by completing this quick form!

Upcoming Events

CSOEMA 2026 Spring Seminar(Register here)	Lisle, IL	March 12-14, 2026
CSOEMA Board of Governors Reception, Dinner, and Meeting	Lisle, IL	March 12, 2026
Medical Review Officer Comprehensive Course (Register here)	Chicago, IL	April 17-18, 2026
2026 Spirometry Update for Occupational Health Providers(Register here)	Chicago, IL	April 17, 2026
House of Delegates Meeting	Chicago, ILZoom	April 18, 2026 1-5 pm
Leadership and Strategy Essential for Health Professionals (Register here)	Chicago, IL	April 18, 2026
AOHC – American Occupational Health Conference (Register here)	Chicago, IL	April 19-22, 2026
CSOEMA Luncheon at AOHC(RSVP here)	Chicago, IL	April 21, 202611:45 am – 1 pm
CAOHC Professional Supervisor of the Audiometric Monitoring Program (Register here)	Chicago, IL	April 23, 2026
AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, Sixth Edition, 2025 (Register here)	Chicago, IL	April 23, 2026
CSOEMA Summer Social (RSVP here)	Lake Geneva, WI	August 1, 2026
CSOEMA 2026 Fall Virtual Seminar (Save the Date)	Online	September 11, 2026

AOHC 2026

Sunday, April 19 – Wednesday, April 22

Chicago, IL

The American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) is the premier professional meeting for physicians and other health professionals who have an interest in the fields of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM). It is also the annual membership meeting for ACOEM’s members. AOHC provides a forum for connection, networking, and education.

More than 1,200 people from around the globe convene to learn from each other, share knowledge, and connect through shared experience at AOHC, the largest meeting of occupational and environmental health professionals in the world. ACOEM is all about education, and our best education takes place at AOHC!

Conference Goals

• To advance the knowledge, practice and professional development of physicians and other health professionals who have an interest in the fields of occupational and environmental medicine.
• To facilitate connections, strengthen networks, and share experiences to build a community of colleagues with a common interest in healthy workers, safe workplaces and thriving environments.
• To promote healthy workers and a healthy world through education and practice.

Join ACOEM in Chicago, Illinois for AOHC 2026!

CSOEMA Luncheon at AOHC
Meet with CSOEMA colleagues for lunch:
Lizzie McNeill’s Irish Pub
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
11:45 am to 1 pm
RSVP here

CSOEMA Summer Social 2026 Lake Geneva Wisconsin

CSOEMA members and their guests are invited to CSOEMA’s Summer Social in Lake Geneva WI, the evening of Saturday August 1, 2026. 

If staying overnight, please be sure to reserve your own choice of lodging in advance as summer fills up!  

RSVP here!

**If we do not meet minimum number of tickets, event will be cancelled and funds refunded.**

OEM Advocacy Spotlight

ACOEM Applauds Reinstatement of NIOSH Workforce, Emphasizes Importance of Protecting Worker Health Research

January 14, 2026 – Employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have been fully reinstated, reversing prior staffing reductions at the federal research agency.  Read the press release here.

Learn more about what ACOEM is doing for YOU and OUR PROFESSION.  Check out the following ACOEM websites for more information:

• Advocacy
• Protect OEM
• ACOEM Public Comments
• Agenda for Change
• Federal & State Relations

OEM Clinical Practice Highlights

• Klees, Julia E. MD, MPH; Milek, Debra MD, MPH; Hegmann, Kurt T. MD, MPH;  ACOEM Evidence-based Practice Initial Treatment Panel. Initial Approaches to Treatment. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 68(2):p e187-e195, February 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003606.  This guideline provides an overview of principal findings and foundational principles for the optimal evaluation and management of workers. Selecting appropriate judicious tests and implementing optimal treatments with quality evidence of efficacy enhance patient recovery. It is important to emphasize functional recovery and provide the best treatment options starting with the first appointment to enhance the speed of recovery and prevent long-term disability that impairs quality of life. Key principles of recovery include avoiding or reducing substantially aggravating exposures, returning to work promptly and safely, encouraging active over passive treatments and exercise regimens, and patient education and active involvement. The reader is referred to ACOEM’s other disorder-specific guidelines for more specific guidance.
  
• MDGuidelines: Did you know?  Your ACOEM Membership now includes access to MDGuidelines, the industry-leading online tool for quickly accessing evidence-based disability duration information, and ACOEM Clinical Guidelines.  This offer is valid for U.S.-based ACOEM members with active membership.  Launch the new MDGuidelines ACOEM Navigator.  For more information, click here.
  
• ACOEM | On-Demand Learning: Enhance Your Skills and Knowledge and earn continuing medical education.  View ACOEM’s extensive on-demand learning opportunities in the ACOEM Store.  ACOEM is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.

OEM Research Rounds

• JOEM (February 2026): Impact of Telework on Body Composition, Physical Fitness, and Physical Symptoms in Japanese Workers. High teleworking frequency was associated with reduced physical function and increased physical symptoms among Japanese office workers. These findings suggest the importance of promoting awareness, workplace support, and appropriate home working environments to help teleworkers maintain their physical health.  Watanabe, Yuya PhD; Noda, Takayuki BA; Yoshiba, Kaori MS; Kikuchi, Hiroyuki PhD; Machida, Masaki MD, PhD; Nara, Kanako MS; Fukunishi, Atsuko MD; Nakanishi, Yutaka MD, PhD; Inoue, Shigeru MD, PhD; Kai, Yuko PhD.  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 68(2):p 109-114, February 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003571

• JOEM (February 2026): Breaking up Prolonged Sitting Times and Mental Health Among Japanese Workers: A Cross-sectional Study. Prolonged sitting at the workplace is associated with poor mental health among Japanese workers. Sedentary time interruptions must be examined among workers. Reduced sedentary behavior can help improve mental health. Frequent interruptions to sedentary times are beneficial, especially in younger populations. Our data can inform workplace health and safety policies.  Watanabe, Kazuhiko RPT, PhD; Lu, Xi PhD; Omori, Hisamitsu MD, PhD; Katoh, Takahiko MD, PhD; Zaitsu, Masayoshi MD, PhD.  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 68(2):p e129-e134, February 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003554
• JOEM (January 2026):Global, Regional, and National Burden of Environmental Heat and Cold Exposure in Adults Aged 55 Years and Older From 1990 to 2021: A Trend Analysis. Our findings reveal declining global burden of environmental heat and cold exposure but rising risks in rapidly aging, high-income regions. Clinicians should anticipate morbidity and mortality attributable to environmental heat and cold exposure in older adults, integrate environmental risk into chronic disease management, and support region-specific prevention strategies. Li, Wen-Jie BS; Deng, Jia-Jun BS; Cheng, Xue-Er BS; Li, Xiao-Xiao BS; Chang, Yu-Wan BS; Tao, Sha-Sha PhD; Pan, Hai-Feng PhD. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 68(1):p 16-23, January 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003560

• JOEM (January 2026): Snowblower Injuries to the Hand: A Longitudinal Study. This study is clinically relevant as snowblower injuries to the hand are frequent, morbid conditions that multiple providers will treat, including emergency medicine, orthopedic, and plastic surgeons. We hope that by highlighting their incidence and outcomes of treatment, we may assist with future treatment of these injuries. Curtin, Patrick MD; Flood, Michael G. MD; DeFazio, Matthew W. MD; Hiller, Kathryn MD; Rackard, Forrest MD; Conway, Alexandra BA; Jones, Marci MD; Swart, Eric MD. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 68(1):p 63-65, January 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003519

Member Highlights

• William Buchta, MD, MPH, FACOEM, and Laura Gillis, MD, MPH, FACOEM, share their insights and experiences in the field of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in featured interviews on the ACOEM YouTube channel in the series: Why OEM?  View interviews with Bill’s interview and Laura’s interview.  Great job, Laura and Bill!
  
• Melanie Swift, MD, MPH, FACOEM was featured on the Teleshadowing YouTube channel, offering her career experiences and advice in the occupational medical field. See Melanie’s interview.  Great job, Melanie!

Become an ACOEM Fellow

Demonstrate your dedication and leadership in occupational medicine by becoming a Fellow of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (FACOEM).  The FACOEM designation is ACOEM’s highest acknowledgment that recognizes years of dedication to exceptional education, leadership, and commitment to the specialty.  Applications for the Class of 2027 are now being accepted!  Completed applications and all required documents must be submitted to fellows@acoem.org by November 1, 2026.  For more information about the ACOEM Fellowship, click here.

Support the CSOEMA History Project

We invite you to make a financial contribution to support preserving the history of occupational and environmental medicine.  Your donations will help fund ongoing projects, including completing the Occupational and Environmental Medicine documentary, which aims to capture our legacy and contributions to the OEM field.  If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please contact CSOEMA Executive Director Susan Rittenhouse at susan@csoema.org.  Your support is invaluable to the success of this project and the continued growth of our organization.  

ACOEM Update

• Represent CSOEMA as a member of the ACOEM House of Delegates. The House of Delegates is ACOEM’s legislative branch, making recommendations to the ACOEM Board of Directors concerning policy matters affecting the College. These policy issues take the form of resolutions. Created in October 1966, the House usually meets twice a year — at the spring American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) and at ACOEM HQ in the fall. For more information, send an email to susan@csoema.org.

Enterprise Health produces the OccTok podcast to support the ACOEM Ambassador Program. Hosted by Jeff Donnell, each episode features occupational health professionals who share their stories about how they got into OEM, what they like most about the field, and what advice they have for medical professionals who are considering this career path. All episodes can be accessed on Podbean or Apple podcasts.

• Has your ACOEM membership lapsed?
  We would love to have you back as a member.  ACOEM membership provides opportunities for physicians and associated healthcare professionals to enhance their careers through education, networking, and leadership. Membership also helps to: 1) Enhance the stature and recognition of the specialty; 2) Strengthen the voice of OEM in health policy debates; 3) Promote new levels of competency in the prevention and treatment of illness, injury, and disability in the work environment and community; 4) Reduce Seminar Registration Rates. Contact ACOEM’s Customer Support Team at 847-818-1800 and ask about a discount to renew. Program. Hosted by Jeff

Nominations Accepted for the CSOEMA Awards

• The National Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the specialty and has taken steps to promote the specialty on a national level through research, education, and/or by increasing awareness of the value of the specialty. 
• The Dedicated Service Award, created in 2005, is given at the Spring Seminar of the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association. The Dedicated Service Award recognizes a CSOEMA member who has exhibited outstanding service to the Association over a period of many years.
• The Exemplary Service Award, created in 2009, is given at the Fall Seminar of the Central States Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association. The Exemplary Service Award recognizes a CSOEMA member who has exhibited outstanding leadership and ability to accomplish a specific initiative or task that has and/or will provide significant benefit to the Association.  
• The Dr. Alice Hamilton Award was established in 2024 to encourage and celebrate physicians with exemplary contributions to the fields of occupational medicine research, education, clinical occupational medicine, or occupational/environmental toxicology. Look for the inauguration of the Alice Hamilton Award to be given in Spring 2025. 
• Recognize a deserving member for a CSOEMA award by following this link HERE.   

Residents Corner

Kim Hargis, MD, MPH Program Director, Occupational Medicine Residency Program University of Illinois at Chicago 835 S. Wolcott, MC 684Chicago, Illinois 60612klatti1@uic.eduPhone: 312-996-6765 | Fax: 312-413-8485 https://glcohs.uic.edu/residency/

Maria Starchook-Moore, MD, MPH, FACOEMProgram Director, HealthPartners Occupational Medicine Residency ProgramHealthPartners West End Clinic1665 Utica Ave. S., Ste. 100St. Louis Park, MN 55416maria.starchookmoore@healthpartners.comPhone: 952-541-2607 | Fax: 952-541-2626https://mnoccmedresidency.com/

Milestones

Do you have a Milestone announcement to share?  Let us know about your birth, marriage, anniversary, promotion, or other life milestone by sending an email to: editor@csoema.org.

CSOEMA T-Shirts & Other SWAG

Get Engaged!

As our regional component professional organization, CSOEMA operates through the support of members who contribute their time and leadership to make the organization successful.  We always seek members to serve as Conference Co-Chairs, Board of Governors, and other committee members.  In addition to these roles, there are so many more ways to get involved.  Check out our new webpage highlighting the numerous opportunities to get further involved here.  Your participation lends your voice to the organization and gives back to the field of Occupational Medicine.  Interested?  Let us know by sending an email to susan@csoema.org. 

Support the CSOEMA Foundation

Don’t forget to support the CSOEM Foundation by making a charitable donation. The CSOEM Foundation supports CSOEMA by providing resident scholarships and other seminar-related expense support that would otherwise not be available.  Donations made are tax-deductible and support the ongoing work of CSOEMA.

Job Posting

Are you interested in posting a job listing with CSOEMA?

Job postings will be listed on both the CSOEMA website and the CSOEMA Connection Newsletter and distributed once via email to the CSOEMA membership. Please send an email to: admin@csoema.org

For members or sponsors:

• One free 60-day advertisement period/year
• $150 for each additional 60-day advertisement period

For unaffiliated individuals/organizations:

• $300 for a 60-day advertisement period

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CSOEMA Executive Committee

Isabel Pereira, DO, MPH, MSA, FACOEM, President

Malgorzata B. Hasek, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACOEM, President-Elect

Maria Starchook-Moore, MD, FACOEM, Vice President

Christopher Iverson, MD, MBA, MPH, FACOEM, Secretary-Treasurer

Francine Katz, DO, MPH, FACOEM, Immediate Past President​

CSOEMA Governors

Erin Kennedy, MD, MPH, MRO, CIMEKodjo Bossou, MD, MPH	Governors at Large: 2023-2026
John Petrisko, MDKim Hargis, MD, MPH	Governors at Large: 2024-2027
Rachel Thies, MD, MPH, MHA, FACOEMJeffrey Westpheling, MD, MPH	Governors at Large: 2025-2028
Kristin Houseknecht, MD (IL)Christopher Smelser, DO, MPH, FACOEM (IN)	State Governors: 2023-2026
Matthew Klick, DO, MPH (MO)Jui Haker, MD (WI)	State Governors: 2024-2027
Sarah Bronner, MD, MPH (MN)Claudia Corwin, MD, MPH (IA)	State Governors: 2025-2028
Prapti Kuber, MD, MBA (Health Partners) Ivy Obonyo, MD (UIC)	Resident Governors: 2025-2026

CSOEMA Connection Editorial Staff

William Wong, MD, MPH, FACP, FACOEM, Editor-in-Chief
Claudia Corwin, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Editor
Christopher Iverson, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Editor

The CSOEMA Connection newsletter is the collaborative effort of CSOEMA members.  It is a way for us to celebrate our members’ work, discuss important issues, and share information to support our mission. Allow your voice to be heard by contributing to this newsletter.  If you have ideas for themes of future newsletter issues, have a tip for us about something (or someone) to feature, or just to let us know how we are doing, please reach out.  Please send any contributions, questions, or comments to editor@csoema.org, or contact Susan Rittenhouse, CSOEMA Executive Director, at susan@csoema.org.