Public Health and General Preventive Medicine

A preventive medicine specialist focuses on the health of individuals and defined populations in order to protect, promote, and maintain health and well-being, and to prevent disease, disability, and premature death. The distinctive components of preventive medicine include:

• Biostatistics and the application of biostatistical principles and methodology.
• Epidemiology and its application to population-based medicine and research.
• Health services management and administration including developing, assessing, and assuring health policies; planning, implementing, directing, budgeting, and evaluating population health and disease management programs; and utilizing legislative and regulatory processes to enhance health.
• Control of environmental factors that may adversely affect health.
• Control and prevention of occupational factors that may adversely affect health safety.
• Clinical preventive medicine activities, including measures to promote health and prevent the occurrence, progression, and disabling effects of disease and injury.
• Assessment of social, cultural, and behavioral influences on health.