Category C: Physicians and Medical Students: Prevention Rx: Engaging Physicians to Enhance Public Health - Background: To achieve an impact on the health of the public, governmental public health agencies must partner with stakeholders across a multitude of sectors to address factors that promote health and well-being. Increasing the alignment between public health and health care will be vital to achieving the shared goal of improving the health of the nation. Approach/Target Population: The AMA submits this application for consideration in Category C: Public health system components. The target population for this application is physicians and medical students. While physicians are committed first and foremost to patients, they also have a responsibility to society, other health professionals, and to themselves. Physicians have a long-recognized responsibility to participate in activities to protect and promote the health of the public. Purpose: The AMA seeks to strengthen the nation’s public health infrastructure by providing capacity building assistance (CBA) to physicians and trainees to enhance their competence and capacity to implement evidenced-based preventive interventions, policies, processes, and programs. The AMA also seeks to strengthen our connection and collaboration with the governmental public health system through the sharing of relevant tools, resources, and policies. Outcomes: The AMA will achieve measurable progress on the outcomes outlined below: • Increased awareness of best/promising practice and/or tools by populations of focus of CBA services and products. • Increased awareness and understanding of recommended processes, policies, programs and practices with the strategic areas. • Increased implementation and sharing of recommended processes, policies, programs, and practices within the strategic areas. Strategies and Activities: The AMA proposes to address the following strategies and activities: • Workforce – Activities to develop and maintain a diverse workforce within the public health system with cross-cutting skills and competencies. • Policy and Programs – Activities to develop, improve, and use evidence-based and promising practices in policies, processes, and programs aimed at improving the health of the community, addressing disparities, and increasing equity.
