The teaching of preventive medicine in American medical schools, 1940–1980

The concept of incorporating prevention into clinical medicine has been addressed by academic medicine since the 1940s. Results reflect the dominant interests of academic medicine over time. This paper reviews this experience, as reflected in national conferences and related activities largely sponsored by the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine, and assesses implications for the 1980s. The consensus of the 1940s was that medical education should focus upon quantitative disciplines. Clinical applicability was considered important, but little was developed. Convening in 1952, deans, clinicians, and preventive medicine faculty strongly recommended teaching clinical prevention in “comprehensive care” programs. This movement was eclipsed by research and specialization. Academic preventive medicine focused on residency training and research, culminating in a major conference in 1963. Epidemiology and biostatistics flourished, while teaching clinical prevention received little attention. By 1970, dominant interest shifted to health services policy and research. Currently, some preventive medicine departments have affiliated with primary care training programs, and policy makers are focusing upon prevention. A number of nationally sponsored curriculum development projects deal with preventive aspects of primary care. Under these circumstances, incorporation of prevention into medical practice seems likely to succeed at the academic level. This may in turn stimulate similar occurrences in the medical care system.