Does anyone know anything about medical review officers?

[forchinet121]

Hi I’m interested in learning more about medical review officers (the doctors that certify drug tests) it seems no one knows much about this and I was hoping to talk to an occupational medicine doctor since they are primarily the field that deals with this and it also seems there’s no forum for them on here and no one knows much about that field either. I’m pretty passionate about drug screening so wanted to see if anyone knew how I could connect with an occupational med doctor or an MRO? Thanks

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[gutonc]

Hi I’m interested in learning more about medical review officers (the doctors that certify drug tests) it seems no one knows much about this and I was hoping to talk to an occupational medicine doctor since they are primarily the field that deals with this and it also seems there’s no forum for them on here and no one knows much about that field either. I’m pretty passionate about drug screening so wanted to see if anyone knew how I could connect with an occupational med doctor or an MRO? Thanks

I can't help you here, but the bolded is one of the weirdest statements I've read in 15+ years on SDN.

 

[shaggybill]

I’m pretty passionate about drug screening

Brand new sentence.

But yeah, you'll want to talk to an occ med doctor about that to get you pointed in the right direction. There are a few on here that pop up time to time.

 

[forchinet121]

Thanks

 

[Dr. ADT]

I can't help you here, but the bolded is one of the weirdest statements I've read in 15+ years on SDN.

hahaha you must be a psychiatrist

 

[DeadCactus]

Caveat, I don't do MRO work.

MRO is specialty non-specific like medicolegal work, wound care, hyperbaric, insurance exams, and independent medical exam work. It's not really a medical specialty in and of itself. Any physician that wants to do it can go take a weekend training course, pass the exam, and hang up their hat. Occ Med tends to do it a lot because it naturally flows out of their other work and relationships with employers.

People get drug tested. If they fail the test, the MRO reviews the file to see if there is a prescribed medication causing the positive result. It's relatively mundane bureaucratic work.

 

[Apollyon]

Caveat, I don't do MRO work.

MRO is specialty non-specific like medicolegal work, wound care, hyperbaric, insurance exams, and independent medical exam work. It's not really a medical specialty in and of itself. Any physician that wants to do it can go take a weekend training course, pass the exam, and hang up their hat. Occ Med tends to do it a lot because it naturally flows out of their other work and relationships with employers.

People get drug tested. If they fail the test, the MRO reviews the file to see if there is a prescribed medication causing the positive result. It's relatively mundane bureaucratic work.

Of all you listed, hyperbarics and undersea medicine is an accredited fellowship.

 

[DeadCactus]

Of all you listed, hyperbarics and undersea medicine is an accredited fellowship.

While true, the field seems to still be accessible without the fellowship - positions still seem available to people with only the 40 hour introductory course and a desire to do it (typically rolled into a general wound care practice). Palliative care is similar but I left it off because I think it's closer to the point where you really need to the fellowship to get into the field.

 

[rokshana]

hahaha you must be a psychiatrist

And you are new…gutonc is hem/onc…but been here a while…

 

[FemaleMD]

ACOEM | MRO Resources

ACOEM provides educational activities that enhance the professional capabilities related directly to the professional work of physicians practicing occupational and environmental medicine.

acoem.org

check out the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine resources and website. They have some discussion boards that would be a useful place to post your questions.