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Future Students

The public health and preventive medicine specialist demonstrates skills in leadership, development of public policy, design, implementation and evaluation of health programs and applies them to a broad range of community health issues.

The public health and preventive medicine specialist can engage in a number of careers, including:

  • Practice of public health at a local, regional, national or international level
  • Planning and administration of health services, whether in institutions or in government
  • Clinical practice in community-oriented settings
  • Assessment and control of occupational and environmental health problems
  • Teaching and research

From Objectives of Training in Public Health and Preventive Medicine (PDF), Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.


Public (government) service:

  • Municipal/regional: Medical officer of health
  • Provincial: Chief medical officer of health
  • Federal: Consultant

International health consultant:

  • Centres for Disease Control
  • World Health Organization
  • Pan American Health Organization
  • Canadian International Development Agency
  • United Nations

Occupational health consultant:

  • Industry
  • Private practice
  • Occupational health agencies – Workers’ Safety and Insurance Board

Research and education:

  • Education in clinical epidemiology at either the undergraduate or graduate level
  • Independent research
  • Director, residency program

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