From Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia.
A 1930 Soviet poster
propagating breast care.
Generally speaking,
preventive medicine (often mis-spelled
and mis-pronounced "preventative
medicine") is that part of
medicine engaged with
preventing
disease rather than curing it.
It can be contrasted not only with
curative medicine, but also with
public health methods (which
work at the level of population
health rather than individual
health).
Professionals involved the
public health aspect of this
practice may be involved in
entomology,
pest control, and public
health inspections. Public health
inspections can include
recreational waters, pools,
beaches, food preparation and
serving and Industrial Hygiene
inspections and surveys.
What is the Medical Specialty
of Preventive Medicine?
Preventive Medicine is a US
medical specialty, one of the 24
recognized by the
American Board of Medical
Specialties (ABMS).
It encompasses three areas of
specialization:
- General Preventive Medicine
and Public Health
- Aerospace Medicine
- Occupational Medicine
In order to become
board-certified in one of the
Preventive Medicine areas of
specialization, a licensed
U.S. physician (M.D.
or
D.O.) must successfully
complete a Preventive Medicine
medical residency program
following a one year
internship. Following that,
the physician must complete a year
of practice in that special area
and pass the Preventive Medicine
board examination. The residency
program is at least two years in
length, and includes completion of
a post-graduate
Masters degree in Public
Health (MPH). The board exam takes
an entire day: The morning session
concentrates on general Preventive
Medicine questions. The afternoon
session concentrates on the one of
the three areas of specialization
that the applicant has studied.
In addition, there are two
sub-specialty areas of
certification:
- Medical Toxicology ("MT")
- Undersea and Hyperbaric
Medicine ("UHB") Formerly
"Undersea Medicine"
These certifications require
sitting for an examination
following successful completion of
an MT or UHB fellowship and prior
board certification in one of the
24
ABMS recognized specialties
