What is the Society?
The Occupational Medicine Society of the Province of Buenos Aires (SMTBA) is a non-profit Argentine scientific society that brings together physicians specializing in occupational medicine. It was created in 1982 by a group of 48 specialist physicians. Its area of operation is the Province of Buenos Aires.
It is a scientific society, not a professional association or a regulatory or disciplinary body: it does not grant legal authorization to practice occupational medicine nor does it exercise disciplinary power over its members. Its role is that of a specialized medical society, focused on training, scientific development, and the dissemination of knowledge.
It is important not to confuse the SMTBA with the Argentine Society of Occupational Medicine, a different entity with a national scope, although both share the same discipline and purpose.
Purpose and scope of action
The stated objectives of the SMTBA (Buenos Aires Province Medical Society) were to promote occupational health and train specialists in occupational and nuclear medicine for physicians practicing in that field within the Province of Buenos Aires. Based on these objectives, it continues to develop its training activities and scientific meetings within the province.
Functions and main lines of work
The SMTBA’s activity is organized along several lines.
- Postgraduate training. It develops the Specialist Career in Occupational Medicine in agreement with the Catholic University of Argentina, in addition to master classes, refresher courses and scientific meetings.
- Scientific conferences. Organizes meetings that bring together specialists in occupational medicine for the exchange of knowledge and clinical experience.
- Digital magazine. Publishes a digital scientific journal with content specializing in occupational medicine.
- Scientific committees. It maintains working committees on different areas of the specialty.
- Job Bank. Offers a job bank service aimed at its members.
Contribution to safety and health at work
The contribution of the SMTBA to OSH is that of a scientific medical society: it trains and updates professionals who practice occupational medicine, a clinical specialty responsible for monitoring the health of workers and carrying out occupational health examinations that allow their medical fitness for a specific job to be assessed.
It does not directly provide health surveillance services to companies nor does it replace the prevention service or the occupational physician of each organization: its function is to scientifically train and group these professionals, not to carry out the healthcare activity in their place.
Relationship with the ORP International Foundation
The Occupational Medicine Society of the Province of Buenos Aires contributes the perspective of occupational medicine to the institutional advisory committee of the ORP International Foundation. It is an Argentine scientific society of medical specialists, established in 1982, with postgraduate training programs, conferences, and publications within the province of Buenos Aires. Its membership on the committee does not link it to the other Argentine entities represented.
Practical application
For a physician seeking to specialize in occupational medicine in Argentina, the Specialist Career program offered by the SMTBA in conjunction with the Catholic University of Argentina is a recognized postgraduate training pathway at the provincial level. For a company or occupational health and safety professional, the SMTBA is primarily a scientific reference on the role of the occupational physician in health surveillance, not an entity that grants licenses or directly provides that service.
