Improve the health and well-being of people where they work, live and play

Public Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM) is the medical specialty primarily concerned with people’s health and well-being, with a particular focus on disease and injury prevention and control through health protection and health promotion activities. PHPM is concerned with a wide array of health issues, including acute and chronic conditions that may be linked to environmental exposures. Its primary focus is addressing the health needs of a population.

To address these health needs, a PHPM specialist monitors and evaluates them, and then develops, implements, and assesses strategies to enhance health and diminish disparities. They are competent in:

• Clinical medicine and the determinants of health
• Epidemiology, biostatistics, and surveillance
• Health promotion and prevention, and healthy communities
• Environmental health, occupational health, health emergency management
• Program and policy surveillance, planning, implementation, and evaluation
• Leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and communication

Career Opportunities in PHPM

• General public health practice as a medical health officer at the local or regional level
• Specialist public health practice in communicable disease, environmental health, occupational health, and health promotion, at the provincial or national level
• Executive medical leadership in planning and administration of health services in local and regional health areas, institutions, or government
• Community-oriented clinical practice, with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention
• Teaching and research at a university or institute

The PHPM Residency Program at a glance

Basic Details

• A five-year specialty training program (for new entrants)  OR  a three-year program (for re-entrants) that prepares residents for certification as specialists in PHPM in Canada
• Based at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) and accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
• Draws teaching faculty from public health physician specialists working across five regional health authorities, two provincial health authorities, and several provincial agencies