Preventive medicine and public health residency training: federal policy and advocacy opportunities.

BACKGROUND

Preventive medicine physicians are uniquely trained in both clinical medicine and public health to understand and reduce the risks of disease, disability, and death in individuals and populations. The nation is facing a severe shortage of preventive medicine-trained physicians, which is largely due to unstable and inadequate residency program funding.

METHODS

Several policy options have been explored and evaluated to fund preventive medicine residency training programs as part of a multipronged approach to engage physicians in the policy-making process.

RESULTS

The most adequate, sustainable, distributable, and politically feasible policy option was pursued, and a bill called the "Preventive Medicine and Public Health Training Act" was introduced into the House and the Senate.

CONCLUSIONS

Opportunities to participate in the policy-making process and interact with key legislators and stakeholders exist in a variety of ways. Leadership at the federal level helps preventive medicine and public health physicians recognize their vital role in shaping public policy.