PUBLIC HEALTH RESIDENCY
PROGRAM
PUBLIC
HEALTH AND THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE
At
the dawn of the 21stcentury, the medical profession has
embraced prevention and health promotion as key pillars of future
efforts to further improve health. This emphasis is based as much upon
successes of the past as upon expectations for the future. The 20thcentury
witnessed a near 30-year improvement in the life expectancy of
citizens among many of the world's nations. Approximately 75% of
this improvement is attributable directly to preventive,
community-based programs rather than to advances in curative medicine.
Tomorrow's primary challenges are to extend these advances to all
citizens as well as to improve and sustain the health of an
increasingly educated, active, and aging population. Physicians with
formal training in Public Health will provide the vision and
leadership needed in the vanguard of this effort.
PUBLIC
HEALTH AS A MEDICAL SPECIALTY
Specialists
in prevention are trained in the core public health functions of
assessment, policy development, and assurance. Assessment skills
include measuring the health status of beneficiaries and investigating
outbreaks or clusters of disease and injury. Policy development
requires skills in developing community resources, prioritizing which
health concerns require the greatest attention, and creating policies
and plans which guide new health initiatives. Finally,
preventionists acquire expertise in assuring that services are
provided, that the effectiveness of various health programs are
measured, and in communicating with citizens, community leaders, and
other health advocates about issues of public health concern.
Whether engaged in the battle against emerging infections, leading the
effort to safeguard the health of children, or seeking to improve
health-related quality of life, the public health physician has all
of the skills needed to envision and realize these improvement in
health.
MILITARY
PUBLIC HEALTH
Soldiers on active duty in the US
Armed Forces rely more heavily upon the protections of Preventive
Medicine than do civilian citizens of the United States. The nature
of military training and deployments across the globe entail many
unique physical, survival, and environmental hardships as well as
potential exposure to exotic diseases, unique occupational threats,
and health. Specialists with training in public health develop
and implement programs to prevent or minimize the harm which these
continuing and emerging threats pose. As well, Public Health
specialists design and implement programs to sustain the health of
other Department of Defense (TRICARE) beneficiaries, including DoD
civilians employees, retirees from the military service, and family
members of active duty personnel.
Preventive Medicine physicians in the
US Army pursue diverse careers in public health practice, research,
operational medicine, and medical leadership. The unique challenges
of the Military Health System afford tremendous training and career
opportunities which assure that our practitioners are among the most
skilled within the profession.
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