Public Health and Preventive Medicine Resident Training Program

Public health is about promoting well-being and improving health among populations, not just dealing with the illnesses of individuals. We look at the impact of social, economic, political and environmental factors on the health of populations, and we examine the role of individual behaviour.  As such, the goal of McGill’s Public Health and Preventive Medicine residency training program is to prepare physicians for a variety of leadership roles in population and public health, as well as in academic and research settings. 

Strengths of our program include:

• Exceptional training in epidemiology and biostatistics
• Exposure to a rich and well-developed public health infrastructure unique in Canada
• A great diversity of training sites including: 
  • Direction régionale de santé publique de Montréal (Montreal Public Health); 
  • Institut national de santé publique du Québec (Quebec Public Health Institute); 
  • Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (Quebec Institute for Clinical Excellences); 
  • Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec (Quebec Public Health Laboratory); 
  • Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux (Ministry of Health); 
  • public health units in peri-urban and rural setttings.
• Finally, the opportunity to become proficient in both English and French by completing training provides considerable opportunities both nationally and internationally.

Residents are trained to become leaders in public health practice in Quebec, Canada, and internationally. 

Our training program aims to develop specialists with competencies in: 

• Population health assessment, promotion and protection
• Evaluation of health services planning in support of the health of populations
• Critical appraisal of the evidence of the effectiveness of interventions
• Health policy development and implementation in collaboration with health partners and allied agencies

At the end of the five-year training, residents:

• Have a sound understanding of the sciences of epidemiology, statistics, health economics, social science, management studies, ethics and law.
• Are competent in a range of academic, research, analytic, management, leadership, collaborative and strategic skills.
• Know how to communicate effectively with other individuals and agencies whose actions impact population health.
• Are committed to continuing personal and professional development and demonstrating reflective practice.

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