Medical & WelfareStable

Preventive Medicine Physician

Senior-level

Also known as: Aerospace Medicine Physician, Environmental Health Physician, Occupational Health Physician (OHP), Occupational Medicine Officer

Medical & WelfareBachelor's Degree

Job Description

Apply knowledge of general preventive medicine and public health issues to promote health care to groups or individuals, and aid in the prevention or reduction of risk of disease, injury, disability, or death. May practice population-based medicine or diagnose and treat patients in the context of clinical health promotion and disease prevention.

Preventive MedicinePublic HealthEpidemiologyHealth PromotionDisease PreventionHealthcareMedicinePatient CareMedical Careers

A Day in the Life

You arrive at the State Department of Health office in Sacramento, the morning sun already bright. Your ID badge grants access, and you settle into your ergonomic chair. First, you open Outlook on your desktop to scan emails, prioritizing requests from local health departments. You then pull up the state’s public health data portal, reviewing preliminary influenza vaccination rates, a key metric for an upcoming statewide initiative you’re spearheading. The quiet hum of the building signals the start of another strategic day.

Skills employers are looking for in 2027

Software and technologies flagged by O*NET as Hot or In-Demand for this role.

Hot technologies

Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word R SAS The MathWorks MATLAB

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Projected growth

+3.4%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

9,400

per year (US)

Jobs today

367,400

in 2025 → 380,100 (2035)

Typical entry education

Doctoral or professional degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

Work Environment

How this work is typically performed, based on O*NET work context data.

Email & digital communication

High

Working in a team

High

Contact with others

High

Freedom to make decisions

High

Time pressure

High

Time spent sitting

High

Working outdoors

Low

Indoor, climate-controlled

High

Dealing with customers

High

Level of competition

Moderate

Source: O*NET Work Context (v31.0)

Future Perspective

Stable Job Market

This field maintains steady employment levels with consistent demand. Job opportunities remain available with moderate competition.

Career ladder

Often before this role

Public Health Educator
Registered Nurse
Health Promotion Specialist

Preventive Medicine Physician

Where it can lead

Chief Medical Officer (Public Health)
Director of Epidemiology
Health Policy Advisor

Impact of AI on this Job

AI will significantly impact preventive medicine by enhancing data analysis for disease prediction, identifying at-risk populations, and personalizing prevention strategies. It will assist in outbreak surveillance and optimizing public health campaigns, freeing physicians to focus on complex cases and direct patient engagement. This integration will streamline public health initiatives and improve early intervention capabilities.

Salary

$265,930

Median annual wage, BLS 2025

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum educational requirement for this position