Physician

A physician working in public health focuses on diagnosing and improving the health of communities. Such physicians are dedicated to the prevention of illness, injury, and disability, and to the promotion of healthy behaviors and improved quality of life. They provide special knowledge, skills, and especially leadership to resolve public health issues. Public health physicians often have clinical and/or administrative roles in local or state health departments, federal or international health agencies, academic institutions, and notfor-profit and for-profit health and health care organizations. While physicians enter public health with different clinical backgrounds, many have formal public health training and hold specialty board certification in preventive medicine, the combined art and science of getting and keeping people healthy.

TERESA C. LONG

(SEE ALSO: Preventive Medicine)