Reviving community medicine in India: The need to perform our primary role

Abstract

Community medicine broadly comprises of family medicine and public health; and community physicians are those trained in both. The primary professional role of a community physician is to manage a health center. Provision of primary healthcare: Curative, preventive, and promotive are an integral part of community medicine practice. Despite being a clinical specialty, community physicians in India are not performing this role and Rural and Urban Health Training Centers have become ornamental exhibits. Most departments of community medicine have restricted themselves to teaching undergraduates and postgraduate training has taken a back seat. Instead of pondering upon why this cadre of social/community physicians was prepared, we are hastily opening up other public health courses. Clinical subspecialties of community medicine should be given equal importance at par with academics and research. Community physicians should fulfill their primary role which would enable them to advocate public health policy with authority.