Public Health Physician Specialty Training in Canada and the United States

Abstract

Today's interconnected world has produced a distinct need for physician specialists in public health and preventive medicine. As the industrialized world confronts aging populations, rising health care costs, and a growing epidemic of chronic disease, it is clear that the focus of health care must become more preventive than curative.Although public health and preventive medicine exists in various forms worldwide, the literature has not yet examined different national strategies for postgraduate medical training in this unique specialty. This examination of present-day public health physician training in Canada and the United States represents a first step in addressing this gap.Using a standardized template for review, the authors compare key aspects of public health physician specialty training in both countries, including the definition and scope of the specialty; oversight and location of training; length of postgraduate training; specific clinical, academic, and practicum requirements; residency program funding; availability of residency positions; certification; and the roles of specialists.The authors explore similarities and differences between public health physician specialists in Canada and the United States in an effort to highlight training improvements for incorporation into each country's training program and to identify potential avenues of collaboration and cooperation across the border.