What is a Preventive Medicine Physician?
Career 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?
- Evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed risk reduction measures or other interventions.
- 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, implement, or evaluate health service delivery systems to improve the health of targeted populations.
- Prepare preventive health reports including problem descriptions, analyses, alternative solutions, and recommendations.
- Direct or manage prevention programs in specialty areas such as aerospace, occupational, infectious disease, and environmental medicine.
- Develop or implement interventions to address behavioral causes of diseases.
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Preventive Medicine Physician Skills
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.
Related Job Titles
- Regional Medical Director
- Occupational Medicine Physician
- Public Health Director
- Primary Clinician
- Medical Director
Job Outlook for Preventive Medicine Physicians
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 372,400 jobs in the United States for Preventive Medicine Physician. 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.
How Much Does a Preventive Medicine Physician Make?
Preventive Medicine Physicians make between $60,280 and $208,000 a year.

Preventive Medicine Physicians who work in Alaska, Arizona, or Colorado, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Preventive Medicine Physicians in different U.S. states.
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 Long Does it Take to Become a Preventive Medicine Physician?

Where do Preventive Medicine Physicians Work?

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

Other Jobs You May 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
Are you already one of the many Preventive Medicine Physician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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