Life As a Preventive Medicine Physician

Job Description: Apply knowledge of general preventive medicine and public health issues to promote health care to groups or individuals, and aid in the prevention or reduction of risk of disease, injury, disability, or death. May practice population-based medicine or diagnose and treat patients in the context of clinical health promotion and disease prevention.

Life As a Preventive Medicine Physician: What Do They Do?

• Supervise or coordinate the work of physicians, nurses, statisticians, or other professional staff members.
• Prepare preventive health reports including problem descriptions, analyses, alternative solutions, and recommendations.
• Develop or implement interventions to address behavioral causes of diseases.
• Direct or manage prevention programs in specialty areas such as aerospace, occupational, infectious disease, and environmental medicine.
• Direct public health education programs dealing with topics such as preventable diseases, injuries, nutrition, food service sanitation, water supply safety, sewage and waste disposal, insect control, and immunizations.
• Design or use surveillance tools, such as screening, lab reports, and vital records, to identify health risks.

Things a Preventive Medicine Physician Should Know How to Do

When polled, Preventive Medicine Physicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Types of Preventive Medicine Physician Jobs

• Aerospace Medicine Physician
• Occupational Medicine Physician
• Medical Director
• Occupational Physician
• Public Health Director

Preventive Medicine Physician Employment Estimates

There were about 372,400 jobs for Preventive Medicine Physician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 11.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 42,300 new jobs for Preventive Medicine Physician by 2026. There will be an estimated 14,300 positions for Preventive Medicine Physician per year.

The states with the most job growth for Preventive Medicine Physician are Arizona, Alaska, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Connecticut, Rhode Island, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Preventive Medicine Physician

The salary for Preventive Medicine Physicians ranges between about $60,280 and $208,000 a year.

Preventive Medicine Physicians who work in Alaska, Arizona, or Colorado, make the highest salaries.

How much do Preventive Medicine Physicians make in each U.S. state?

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$183,510
Alaska	$244,220
Arizona	$229,090
Arkansas	$165,290
California	$208,740
Colorado	$219,310
Connecticut	$221,870
Delaware	$216,600
District of Columbia	$182,910
Florida	$205,020
Georgia	$235,060
Hawaii	$228,470
Idaho	$241,670
Illinois	$183,780
Indiana	$237,470
Iowa	$219,300
Kansas	$191,430
Kentucky	$223,770
Louisiana	$183,920
Maine	$257,550
Maryland	$196,210
Massachusetts	$207,990
Michigan	$181,760
Minnesota	$245,040
Mississippi	$174,340
Missouri	$203,440
Montana	$247,260
Nebraska	$161,880
Nevada	$227,500
New Hampshire	$275,840
New Jersey	$208,820
New Mexico	$229,100
New York	$171,060
North Carolina	$198,040
North Dakota	$266,510
Ohio	$212,160
Oklahoma	$155,130
Oregon	$202,750
Pennsylvania	$195,810
Rhode Island	$209,580
South Carolina	$185,210
South Dakota	$227,710
Tennessee	$231,960
Texas	$199,370
Utah	$218,210
Vermont	$176,520
Virginia	$199,080
Washington	$239,080
West Virginia	$222,270
Wisconsin	$239,610
Wyoming	$234,610

What Tools do Preventive Medicine Physicians Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Preventive Medicine Physicians:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Web browser software
• Microsoft Access
• Email software
• Database software
• The MathWorks MATLAB
• SAS
• R
• Scheduling software
• StataCorp Stata
• Wolfram Research Mathematica
• Insightful S-PLUS
• Patient electronic medical record EMR software
• STATISTICA
• SAS JMP
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epi Info
• Statistical Solutions BMDP

Becoming a Preventive Medicine Physician

What kind of Preventive Medicine Physician requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Preventive Medicine Physicians Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being a Preventive Medicine Physician may also be interested in:

• Surgeons
• Forestry & Conservation Science Professors
• Chemistry Professors
• Biological Science Professors

Career changers with experience as a Preventive Medicine Physician sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Family and General Practitioners
• Obstetricians and Gynecologists

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: via

More about our data sources and methodologies.