[Developing social medicine competence in medical education--goals in social medicine education for the practicing physician from the viewpoint of mandatory public insurance].

The social obligation of medicine is not limited to the application of technical-curative methods. It rather also encompasses prevention, rehabilitation as well as cooperation with other health professions. Furthermore, medicine is tied into a social, economical and legal framework which has a direct impact on medical practice. Training in social medicine within the medical curriculum has to address these relationships. Moreover, the interaction between the ecological, occupational and social environment and the causes of diseases and disabilities should be a central focus of the subject.