Attachments in public health for physicians

Hospital-based specialist registrars in Nottingham are offered six month secondments in public health medicine. These attachments give clinicians valuable skills in public health and an opportunity to influence the development of local health service provision. Other skills gained are an understanding of the balance between health promotion and disease treatment; the management of limited resources; an appreciation of the effects of social deprivation; the chairing and preparing of committee meetings; and contact tracing of communicable diseases. We strongly recommend the experience gained from working in a lively public health department.