Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Areas of Work, Main Tasks, and Objectives

• Implementing and developing theoretical training in occupational and environmental health for students, medical residents, and doctoral students;
• Introducing new training methods (e.g., e-learning, continuing education programmes, etc.);
• Improving the qualifications of occupational physicians;
• Supervising students’ and medical residents’ scientific research;
• Promoting the department's lecturers scientific research;
• Collaborating with specialists from the RSU Laboratory of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, the Centre of Occupational and Radiological Medicine at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, and the RSU Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health to train students, medical residents, and occupational physicians;
• Upgrading and maintaining the professional qualifications of the department’s academic staff.

Research Directions

• Working conditions and risk factors in Latvia;
• Occupational health in more advanced manufacturing sectors in Latvia.

Research Topics

• European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals. EU Programmes, Horizon Europe (2022–2029)
• Occupational health and safety risks during 3D printing. RSU grant. (2022–2023)
• Improvement of the management process and study content modernisation at Rīga Stradiņš University. European Union Structural Funds project, ESF (2018–2023)
• The European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU). EU Programmes, Horizon 2020 (2017–2022)

Before 2011

• Project European Work Environment Risk Assessment, project leader in Latvia: M. Eglīte, lead organisation: Belgian Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, co-implementer: RSU Agency Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health, duration: 2006–2010, funded by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
• The project "Establishment of Environmental Modelling Centre at Riga Stradiņš University" No 0042, project leader in Latvia: M. Eglīte, lead organisation: RSU Agency Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health, co-implementer: SIA PSI Grupa, duration: 2008–2011, funded by the Government of Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein with the assistance of the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism
• ES GRUNTVIG Improving the health education of low-educated workers in a changing labour market, 01.12.2008–30.11.2010 Contract No 2008-3466/001-001
• "Determination of indoor pollution caused by office equipment and assessment of its potential impact on the organism", financed by the EEA, 01.10.2009–31.10.2010 Contract No EEZ09AP-22 with the Academic Programmes Agency

The department's current scientific activities can be found on the RSU Research Portal

International and Local Cooperations

• The RSU Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health;
• The RSU Laboratory of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases;
• Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital;
• The Centre of Occupational and Radiological Medicine at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital;
• The Latvian Association of Occupational Physicians;
• The Latvian Medical Association;
• The European Association of Schools of Occupational Medicine (EASOM);
• The European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS)