General Preventive Medicine General Preventive Medicine is the specialty that focuses on the health of individuals and defined populations in order to protect, promote and maintain health and well-being, and to prevent disease, disability and premature death. In addition to the knowledge of basic and clinical sciences and the skills common to all physicians, the distinctive components of Preventive Medicine include biostatistics, epidemiology, health services administration, environmental and occupational influences on health, social and behavioral influences on health, and measures which prevent the occurrence, progression and disabling effects of disease or injury.