A look to the past as we look ahead: the specialty of public health medicine in Canada.

In February 2011, the medical specialty of Community Medicine was renamed as Public Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM) to better reflect the roles and responsibilities of physician specialists in this field. While physician involvement in public health began in the early 20th century, the development of the formal PHPM specialty has closely paralleled the evolution of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. At present, despite shortages identified in light of public health crises, recent specialist graduates in PHPM have reportedly experienced some difficulties finding optimal employment. This paper reviews the history and current situation of PHPM specialists, raising awareness of the issues in order to promote greater specialty planning coupled with improved integration and collaboration between clinical services and public health initiatives.