HHS Secretary announces 15 awards to support Preventive Medicine Residency Programs

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced 15 awards totaling $9 million to support Preventive Medicine Residency Programs at accredited schools of public health, schools of medicine, and hospitals. Of these funds, nearly $6.7 million is part of the $200 million appropriated to HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to address the nation's health care workforce shortages.

“These residency programs are extremely important in our continuing efforts to seek ways to address public health needs and improve the overall health of the nation”

HRSA's Preventive Medicine Residency Program provides support to plan and develop new residency programs; maintain, improve and expand existing programs; and provide financial support to residency trainees in these programs. These new funds will provide financial support to approximately 56 residents. Over the next three years, it is projected that more than 180 preventive medicine residents will receive training in a variety of public health settings -- including state, local and tribal public health departments, hospitals, community health centers, industrial sites, occupational health centers, and academic centers.

"Preventive medicine physicians have training in both clinical medicine and public health, giving them a unique understanding of how to reduce the risks of disease and disability for the increasing number of people in need," said Secretary Sebelius.

"These residency programs are extremely important in our continuing efforts to seek ways to address public health needs and improve the overall health of the nation," said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield.

Preventive medicine includes three areas of specialty: general preventive medicine and public health, aerospace medicine and occupational medicine.

Awards made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and lists of awards from HRSA's 2010 appropriation are can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/hrsa/healthprofessionsawardees.html

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