As CMO for the US Department of Energy, this DO is strengthening worker health

In December 2024, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Scott Everson, DO, MPH, joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the agency’s chief medical officer (CMO). Previously, Dr. Everson served in both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force as the primary consultant and subject matter expert to the U.S. Surgeon General on all matters related to occupational and environmental medicine. Dr. Everson is an AOA board-certified physician and a graduate of Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM).

The DOE does more than guide our energy policy—the organization is charged with advancing research in nuclear energy and making fusion energy (a way to generate power by combining lightweight atomic nuclei to create heavier ones) possible. They are also responsible for advancing other alternative energy sources such as biotechnology.

The DOE is directly involved in the fight against cancer as well. DOE’s supercomputers, isotope research and production facilities have been key players in many aspects of cancer research. DOE and its predecessor organizations have also been at the forefront of developing and producing unique isotopes (different forms of the standard elements on the Periodic Table) for medical and basic science research for decades. This is extremely useful in medical research, imaging and therapies. 

The DO sat down with Dr. Everson to discuss his new role, how his time in the Air Force prepared him for it and what he loves about working in occupational and environmental medicine (OEM). Following is an edited Q&A.

What are you most excited about as you dive into this role?

I’m excited to be part of an organization that has such an amazing history. Many of the things the agency is doing now, like focusing on machines that provide radiation therapy for cancer, come from physicist and chemist Marie Curie’s research. I want to leave my mark by improving the safety of the job and enhancing the lives of the workers who do this dangerous work on a daily basis.

One of my first acts was to clarify that DOs are just as qualified as MDs in their role as OEM physicians. Previously, the DOE did not recognize osteopathic board certification in occupational and environmental medicine. I have since been able to rectify this with a policy update.

What all does being CMO of DOE entail?

I’ll explain my specialty, as many may not understand exactly what occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) entails. We fall under the preventive medicine board, with preventive medicine specialties such as aerospace and hyperbaric medicine and public health medicine.

OEM focuses on the health of workers—this includes the ability to perform work, the physical, chemical, biological and social environments of the workplace and the health outcomes of environmental exposures. OEM physicians develop a deep knowledge of various workplaces and industries, establishing careers across a broad spectrum of sectors such as clinical care, corporate medicine, public health and preventive medicine, academia and research. Most recently, our specialty has begun to integrate lifestyle medicine (LM) into our practice. By integrating LM principles into clinical care, workplace policies, and programs, along with other evidence-based methods, occupational and environmental medicine clinicians and medical directors can enhance worker health and performance, manage chronic disease, and facilitate faster recovery from injury and illness. This expertise empowers them to create policies and protocols that integrate the needs of employers and workers.

Right now, the Department of Energy (DOE) is undergoing change under a new administration and our roles are actively being written. I am very fortunate to have a leadership team looking to expand the role of OEM, and I will function as a corporate medical director for the DOE. My position falls under the Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (EHSS), which is responsible for policy development, programs and assistance. The office provides direction for the development and deployment of technical assistance to its sites, critical incident preparedness and response, global health (i.e. Japan and Marshall Island populations) and the chance to shape policy and strategy.

As the CMO, I serve as the occupational and environmental medicine physician for the department. I am the principal advisor to senior-level DOE officials on matters pertaining to federal and contractor safety and medical programs, employee assistance and human reliability programs, as well as public health activities and environmental medicine issues.

I’ll make decisions to make sure workers are being taken care of and protected from exposures, and I’ll work to optimize their work environment.

How did the opportunity for the role come about?

I was recruited before retirement from my position as the Air Force Surgeon General consultant for OEM. I didn’t know this was going to be coming on the horizon. The job description made me “geek out” and got me excited, since the job had some familiarity but there was also room to expand. The hiring process for almost any federal job takes around six months, but in the end it worked out.

How has your past experience prepared you for such a prominent position at the DOE?

In the Air Force, I was able to take a break from OEM and exercise my skills as the chief medical officer (CMO) of two medical treatment facilities. After this, I returned to OEM and was promoted to Air Force Chief of Occupational Medicine. The role had me overseeing the occupational medical services and public health efforts of 74 medical treatment facilities around the world throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the eventual return to normal.

I also had roles in response and recovery from the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility that contaminated the Pearl Harbor water supply, the Department of Defense’s response to contamination, and cancer incidence investigations in AF pilots. These opportunities played a major role in my development and fundamental knowledge.

What have been your biggest struggles throughout your career, and how were you able to overcome them?

A big one was asking, “did I choose the right specialty?” At one point in time, my skills were not being used to the fullest extent when I was out in the field, so I took additional Master’s training and became CMO of two Air Force hospitals. That was a chance to expand my role and find out what I really liked doing, then I went back to occupational medicine with these enhanced skills.

Do you have any guidance for DOs and med students who want to follow in your footsteps?

I have found OEM to be an amazing specialty, and it is also one of the broadest fields. Preventive medicine and public health physicians rank as one of the happiest specialties with the most job satisfaction. Our specialty will also play a significant role in the future of medicine. I would encourage osteopathic medical students to seek out an OEM physician to rotate with and see what their quality of life is like.

Occupational and environmental medicine is the field where medicine and public health intersect. Emphasizing work and the environment as important social determinants of health, OEM professionals use a multidisciplinary approach to recognize, diagnose, treat and prevent injury and illness that arise from exposures at work, home and the environment. Occupational and environmental medicine physicians work to improve the health, well-being and safety of employees and their communities, locally and globally.

Physicians in this specialty have so many different opportunities for their career path. You can work corporate jobs from Disney to pharmaceuticals to petrochemical; many industries have their own OEM programs. If you are looking for something more tactical, check out the public safety sector of OEM. I specialized in police and firefighter OEM and absolutely loved working with this sector. Working in the areas of workers compensation and returning workers to their lives or preventing morbidity and mortality among workers is also very meaningful.

I give all these examples of ways OEM physicians use their training, but there are other perks as well. The practice of OEM is done without the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) system, meaning that Medicare/Medicaid and private health insurance play no role in your care, nor are they used for billing and reimbursement. Practicing medicine without having to worry about those entities is truly freeing.

What is your favorite part of working in occupational and environmental medicine?

The ability to help someone get back to their regular lifestyle is very rewarding to me; I’m now doing it on a larger level and helping people change their lives. Environmental medicine is where we take things from occupational and we pick up environmental—how do we protect the environment and how do we clean it up? It is cerebral work; it’s like solving a mystery.

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time, I have a family that keeps me happy and grounded. My three kids, Alex (17), Cadence (14) and Nicholas (10), all keep me busy in ways that I cherish. From watching them play their many sports to just spending time with them, I would not trade it for anything. My beautiful wife, Kristen, has been amazing—she has kept the family together through 24 years of active military duty and moving around the country.

I am also the vice president and OEM chair for the American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine (AOCOPM), and I absolutely love the organization. If any osteopathic medical student wants to join our meetings, please reach out and I will work to get the fees taken care of. We will be presenting an entire track of lectures at OMED 2025—come check out what we have to offer.

For physicians looking to make a change mid-career, we also offer a certificate of added qualification through the AOA. Both DOs and MDs can receive this certification on top of their board certification.

Editor’s note: If you are an OMS who is interested in joining the AOCOPM meetings, please email [email protected] for more information.

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