The Region IX NIOSH ERC for Southern California (SCERC) is composed of three academic programs: one each in occupational medicine (CM), industrial hygiene (IH), and Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing (OEHN). These programs typically have about 4, 12, and 13 trainees, respectively. The occupational medicine program is located at University of California Irvine (UCI);ail other programs are at University o California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Other proposed programs are a Continuing Education, Outreach, Center Administration, a Hazardous Substances Academic Training Program (HSAT), a Pilot/Small Project Program (P/SPP), and a Hazardous Substances Training (HST) Program and a Targeted Research Training Program (TRT). These programs represent a coordinated, interdisciplinary set of professional education, continuing education, research and outreach activities that have a positive impact on the region's and nation's occupational health and safety practice. The primary goals of our Region IX Center are 1) to educate professionals in the various disciplines of occupational health and safety, 2) to provide continuing education for professionals and others in occupational safety and health fields positions, 3) to proliferate occupational health and safety activity through outreach to regional institutions and organizations, and 4) to foster research on issues important to occupational health and safety. The ERC operates in concert with the UCLA and UCI Centers for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH). These are state supported centers for research and teaching in occupational safety and health. Together the ERC and COEH represent a unique and effective partnership between state and federal funding. PUBLIC HEALTH RELVANCE: The programs of the Southern California ERC impact Occupational Safety and Health in three ways. Our graduates contribute directly to worker safety and health through their employment as professionals in the field and many go on to assume leadership positions. Our research contributes to longer term improvements in worker health through improved understanding of workplace exposures, health effects, and their control. Finally our continuing education programs convey up-to-date scientific advances to O&SH professionals.
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