In the article, the author, Dr. Laura Kahn, highlights data from the American Medical Association showing that over the past 30 years the number of public health physicians has declined from 2.3 percent to 0.8 percent of the total physician workforce; and data from the National Association of County and City Health Officials showing that only 23 percent of local health agencies are directed by physicians. She illustrates how health department leaders who are not physicians may have difficulty handling serious outbreaks and other medical emergencies. According to Dr. Kahn, the critical skills needed to manage today's health departments in an era of emerging threats (both natural and intended) include epidemiology and the ability to diagnose illness and prescribe medical interventions. Dr. Kahn recognizes that these skills are taught in preventive medicine residency programs, yet financial support for such programs is weak.
To increase the supply of physicians board-certified in preventive medicine, i.e., the medical specialty that trains physicians in public health, the ACPM recommended the following:
- Congress should resist the Bush administration's efforts to eliminate funding for public health and preventive medicine training in Fiscal Year 2004, and should provide funding at least equal to the $10.5 million provided in the current health professions training program of the Health Resources and Services Administration.
- Congress and the Bush administration should amend the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program to make preventive medicine residency programs eligible to receive Medicare GME support.
- Medical schools should expand the amount of preventive medicine training given to medical students.
- Funding to states and localities from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should provide financial incentives to hire preventive medicine-trained physicians in densely populated jurisdictions.
Preventive medicine is one of the 24 medical specialties approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties, the nationally recognized body that approves medical specialties.
According to ACPM President Robert Harmon, MD, "With more attention and resources being directed to emergency preparedness at the state and local levels, the dearth of preventive medicine physicians is becoming more apparent and more acute. Preventive medicine, as a certified medical specialty that produces physicians trained to meet the public health challenges facing communities, can help address this serious workforce shortage, but policy makers must allocate more resources to make it happen."
The American College of Preventive Medicine is the national professional society that represents physicians trained in preventive medicine. Board-certified preventive medicine physicians are uniquely trained in both clinical medicine and public health, which includes such skills as epidemiology, biostatistics, and health administration. ACPM's members are engaged in preventive medicine practice, teaching and research. ACPM advocates for the specialty of preventive medicine and for national policies that promote health and prevent disease. ACPM maintains an active presence on Capitol Hill and among the many federal agencies and non-governmental organizations that shape national health policy.