The aim of this review is to describe aspects of vocational rehabilitation relevant for a physician aiming to become a specialist in physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM). The review discusses the epidemiology of incapacity for work, the major patient groups in vocational rehabilitation (musculoskeletal and psychiatric diagnoses comprise approximately 50-70% of the patients), the influence of different kinds of environmental and individual risk factors on work resumption (such as the legal framework, application of the law, resources for rehabilitation and its effectiveness, the degree of co-operation between vocational rehabilitation agencies, economic factors/labour market situation, medical and personal factors). The review describes different models of vocational rehabilitation, the effectiveness of various vocational rehabilitation programmes on work resumption or sick leave (where strong evidence is reported for multi-modal rehabilitation programmes for patients with long-lasting musculoskeletal pain). Finally, there are sections about the PRM physician's history-taking in vocational rehabilitation (using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)), and report writing with a structure where ICF body functions and activity limitations are reported separately.