Educational and Professional Experience
Dr. Schaefer's professional experience and expertise allows him to decrease lost work time and gives him credibility with workers in encouraging same day or early return to work after injury.
After graduating from high school in Chester, Montana and Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dr. Schaefer received his MD degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. Initially he worked in family and emergency medicine. Dr. Schaefer then earned his Master of Public Health and became Board Certified in Occupational Medicine.
He is a nationally certified Medical Review Officer (MRO) and an expert in drug testing issues. Dr. Schaefer makes determinations of Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), performs injury impairment determinations and Independent Medical Evaluations (IME) according to the AMA guidelines used by South Carolina Workers' Compensation. He performs these determinations for his client's employees and by referral from several national and state insurance carriers.
Dr. Schaefer provides consultations and advice on ADA, FMLA, WC and OSHA regulations.
Since 1998, Dr. Schaefer has worked full-time providing industrial medical services in Moncks Corner (near Charleston). Dr. Schaefer is the only nationally Board Certified Occupational Medicine Specialist who lives and works in Berkeley County. He is a Leadership Berkeley graduate and has over 25 years of full-time occupational medicine experience.
Dr. Schaefer Has "Been There"
Dr Schaefer's diverse work experience provides insight into both the employer and employee perspectives of work and return to work issues. He has worked as a sawyer in a lumber mill, shoveled hot asphalt in pavement crews and operated heavy equipment in highway construction. Working in fast food service, applying pesticides and refuse collection is helpful in understanding the physical demands of job activities.
