Department of
Medical Education

Robert Gerbo, MD

Name:  Robert Gerbo, MD  

Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Medical School: West Virginia University

Residency: WVU Family Medicine 

Faculty Rank: Professor 

Special Clinical/Research Interests: Occupational Medicine, i.e., the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of work-related injuries and illnesses.

Is there a particular population of students (e.g., ethnicity, spiritual, sexual orientation) that you would particularly like to advise?

No – I like all students.

What does a typical day in the life of an “Occ Doc” include?

There’s a wide variety such as job placement evaluations, injury care, medical surveillance, work site safety evaluations, reviewing drug testing results, and promoting wellness among workers.

What is the biggest challenge of being in Occupational Medicine?

Staying up to date with changes in work safety laws can sometimes be challenging.

How do you foresee Occupational Medicine changing over the next 20 years?

There will be more emphasis on employee wellness. Healthy, happy employees are more productive, less likely to get injured, are less expensive to insure, and live longer.

What advice would you give a student who is considering an Occupational Medicine residency?

Come take a tour of our Occ Med Clinic (at the Student Health Building), or do a rotation with us.

The work-life balance in Occupational Medicine is excellent.