1. Cognitive and intellectual competences

• Knowledge of and insight into the tasks and assignments of the company physician and the ability to place these within the (inter)national legal and specific deontological, professional framework (C1)
• Knowledge of work-related biological, physical and chemical agents and psychosocial risk factors and their consequences for the health of employees with a view to assessing incapacity for work, early detection, diagnosis and treatment (C2)
• Assess physical and mental stress and the ability of employees to withstand stress and formulate proposals for the optimisation of the balance between stress and the ability to withstand stress (C3)
• Identify and assess acute and chronic work-related hazards and risks to health. Formulate advice for the prevention or limitation of harmful exposures and for the promotion of safe and healthy working conditions (C4)
• Knowledge of and an insight into the organisation of work and business, work relations, management styles and methods, and an estimation of the effect on internal work relationships and approaches to problems in company health care (C5)
• Knowledge of (inter)national legislation regulating the collective and individual relationships between employers and employees, and of welfare legislation (C6)
• Knowledge of the specific position of occupational medicine in the structure and organisation of health care and social security (C7)
• Insight into the relationship between the environment and health and the possible impact of business processes on public health and to position, prevent or remedy the living environment (C8)
• Knowledge of and insight into the objectives, strengths and weaknesses of research methods applied to occupational medicine and company health care (C9)

2. Research competences

• Look up and assess scientific sources in an effective and efficient manner with a view to formulating a specific research question in occupational medicine and company health care (O1)
• Choose an appropriate methodology for qualitative and quantitative research (O2)
• Set up, execute and analyse independent research into a problem in the occupational medicine domain in a scientific manner (O3)
• Provide a balanced interpretation of, assessment of and correct reporting, both orally and in writing, on the outcomes of one’s own research, both to peers and the general public (O4)

3. Professional competences

• Execute correct (preventive) medical research in order to assess employees’ health and incapacity for work with respect to the biopsychosocial model (B1)
• Advise on appropriate measures for the prevention (primary prevention) of the risk of harm on the work floor and its limitation (secondary prevention) and to promote the re-integration of employees (with or without a disability) (tertiary prevention), with special attention for vulnerable groups and diversity aspects (B2)
• Thoroughly know and correctly apply administrative regulations related to work and disease (health insurance, occupational accidents, occupational diseases, etc.) (B3)
• Formulate recommendations and proposals for resuming work and suitable work in the case of incapacity for work (B4)
• Identify, analyse and assess, using measuring methods, estimation models and measuring strategies, the risks related to physical and mental health, report on the outcomes thereof, and formulate recommendations for the optimisation of individual and collective working conditions (B5)
• Multidisciplinary collaboration within the company and with other actors in health care and society (B6)
• Possess appropriate communicative competences to deal with all departments within the company and to provide feedback (B7)
• Inform and train employees regarding health, hazards and risks at work and possible preventive measures (B8)
• Organise and provide first aid and urgent care to employees (B9)
• Integrate legal, ethical and normative values at work (B10)
• Reflect on one’s own functioning as a company physician for the further optimisation of professional practice (B11)
• Exhibit an attitude of lifelong learning, the necessary creativity in the development of new ideas and tools and a continual involvement in putting new scientific insights into practice in order to promote the health and well-being of employees (B12)

• K.B. March 5th 1970 elaborating the norms for the degrees for education in occupational medicine (B.S. 27/03/1970)
• M.B. September 5th 2006 concerning the conditions for recognition as specialist-physician in occupational medicine (B.S. 25/09/2006)
• K.B. March 27th 1998 and K.B. December 5th 2003 concerning the external services for prevention and protection at work

• Law of August 4th 1996 concerning the well-being of employees during their work activities (B.S., 18/09/1996)

• European direction 89/391

• Flemish Government Decision February 24rd 2017 concerning the recognition of specialist-physicians and general physicians