Preventive Medicine and Public Health It was one of the specialties that was in charge of the Covid-19 Pandemia. Despite this indisputable prominence during one of the worst health situations lived in Spain in the last century, later years They do not reflect the relevance they had. An example of this is that last year, in the ordinary adjudication of the places to be an internal resident (MIR), They did not fill their quotaleaving 12 free, which were later taken in an extraordinary second round.
This Monday starts the allocation of places of the MIR, a process that will be extended for 16 business days. Immaculate SalcedoChief of the Preventive Medicine and Public Health Service in the Reina Sofía Hospital (Córdoba), makes an analysis of how this situation has been reached and what is after this paradox. “It is striking that the importance of public health and prevention in pandemic has been demonstrated and we have suddenly forgotten,” he laments.
This specialist affirms that one of the reasons is at the base, how and who teaches preventive medicine and public health in the degree of medicine. “Both in primary care, as in Hospitality, Preventive Medicine and Public Health They are fundamental And what is done there is not transmitted in universities, unless we are the specialists who give the classes. The paradox is given that They can give them a biologist or anyone who prepares the matter. That is already an important handicap at the undergraduate level because they do not know the matter, “denounces.
The second point focuses on wages because, as he says, when he is attached, specialists may have lower payrolls than those of their classmates of other specialties. This is explained because there are different models, so you can have 12 or 24 -hour guards or not even have. Each hospital or health center has a preventive epidemiologist that is usually organized in a way and, in their opinion, It should be unified in order to have equity with the rest. “It is not a receipt that a specialist via MIR of preventive medicine and public health charges less than one of work, surgery, internal or family medicine.”
Rotations in hospitals and housing prices
Another issue to consider are ROTATORY that, in his opinion, they should have the Teleworking option or modality online. In this way it would be easier and it would be avoided that the resident had to Find an apartment in a city for three months“as the house is now.” This occurs especially in the municipalities where they have “very good hospitals, but the rent is very expensive.”
The last point is about scientific societies, with their particular interests. At this point, he criticizes that there are some who handle a lot of money and They get into the portfolio of services of their specialty, “Trying to cover areas that compete.”
“Among the lowest salary, the most expensive home, little access, in some cases, to teaching and research because it is covered by other professionals who are not specialists in the field … all this is measured by residents and The losses are seeing “claims.
“That students rotate through hospitals and health centers is essential because they know what the specialty is about”
Despite all these aspects of improvement, Salcedo observes “with satisfaction” that There are many students who want to rotate with them And they assure them that in half an hour in the service they have learned more preventive than ever.
“Hay Very few people who leave The specialty, that is, when someone takes it, sometimes without much knowledge, then it is very difficult to leave it because it is very pretty and has many labor output options. But the fact that students rotate through hospitals and health centers is essential because they know what it is about, “he adds.
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With the specialty, these doctors can work in different places: primary care, hand in hand with their Family companionshospital care, regional and residences. In addition, they cover a large number of people, who do not patients, but “It is a silent thing that does not sell or give headlines“. Beyond the variety of sites to work, it also highlights the diversity of tasks, which” never gets bored “and allows” much creative and innovation capacity. ”
“Public health is not just public health. We exercise so that the citizen does not reach the health system. Housing, healthy life habits, smoking and alcoholism prevention … everything is public health. They are measures that, together with the specialists in family medicine, we work because Prevents diseases that prevent the citizen from becoming a patientwhich saves costs to the system and gives more quality of life, “he concludes.
