Multiple career options through preventive medicine

So many medical students are unaware of preventive medicine. They don't even recognize that it's on the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) list. There's no mandatory requirement to go through preventive medicine rotations during medical school, so most students don't get exposed to this specialty. Here's some data from the ABPM (American Board of Preventive Medicine) about preventive medicine:

Preventive medicine has three specialty areas with common core knowledge, skills, and competencies that emphasize different populations, environments, or practice settings:

• aerospace medicine,
  
• occupational medicine, and
  
• public health and general preventive medicine.

The ABPM also offers fellowships in preventive medicine as well. Currently, there are two subspecialties (but I imagine this list will grow in the future):

• Medical Toxicology
  
• Undersea Hyperbaric Medicine

To learn more about preventive medicine, visit the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) website here: http://www.theabpm.org

American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) Certifications

The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) was incorporated in 1948 and has gone through quite a few changes over the years. Instead of offering certification in a single medical specialty, it offers board certifications in several, including:

• Occupational medicine (1955)
• Aerospace medicine (1953, formerly called Aviation medicine, name changed in 1963)
• General preventive medicine (1963) - which is now called public health and general preventive medicine (1983)
• Undersea and hyperbaric medicine (1989)
• Medical toxicology (1992)

So, if you're considering a non-clinical career, you may wish to explore some options in the world of preventive medicine. The latest certification was added in 1992 and I won't be surprised if a few more get added over the next few decades.

The Board consists of members from the following organizations:

• Aerospace Medical Association
• American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• American College of Preventive Medicine
• American Medical Association
• Association of Schools of Public Health
• Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine
• Trustees of the American Board of Preventive Medicine

Have you ever considered being a NASA astronaut physician?