A Preventive Medicine Physician specializes in promoting health and well-being while preventing disease, disability, and premature death. They focus on understanding health risks and implementing strategies to prevent illness in both individuals and populations.
Education: Doctoral or professional degree
Years in related career: None
On-the-job training: Internship/residency
Projected Growth: 3.0% (average)
Annual job openings: 9,600
Direct AI exposure: 7% of tasks
Potential AI exposure: 67% of tasks
| According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average income (in USD) in 2025 was $266K per year. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom 10% | Bottom 25% | Median (average) | Top 25% | Top 10% |
| $69K per year | $103K per year | $266K per year | $379K per year | $452K per year |
| Compared to other careers: Median is $215K above the national average. | ||||
Preventive Medicine Physicians work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, healthcare organizations, public health departments, academic institutions, and research facilities. They may also work in policy development, corporate wellness programs, and global health organizations. This field often involves interdisciplinary collaboration and may include community outreach activities.
Preventive Medicine Physicians play a crucial role in healthcare by focusing on disease prevention and health promotion, rather than treatment after the onset of illness. Their work involves understanding the complex interactions between lifestyle, environment, genetics, and other factors that influence health. These physicians use their expertise to develop, implement, and evaluate health policies and programs that aim to improve overall health outcomes for individuals and communities.
This field requires a strong foundation in public health principles, epidemiology, health behavior, and environmental health. Preventive Medicine Physicians often work in interdisciplinary teams, requiring excellent communication and collaboration skills. They need to be adept at interpreting and utilizing public health data to guide their strategies and decisions.
A career in preventive medicine is dynamic and multifaceted, offering opportunities to impact health on a large scale. Physicians in this field can influence public health policy, contribute to scientific research, and lead initiatives that make lasting changes in communities and populations.
Becoming a Preventive Medicine Physician typically involves completing a 4-year undergraduate degree, 4 years of medical school, and a residency in preventive medicine, which usually lasts 2-4 years. In total, this equates to around 10-12 years of post-secondary education.
Similarity is based on what people in the careers do, what they know, and what they are called. The process of establishing similarity lists is described in this white paper.