Development and status of social medicine in Germany

The current status of scientific social medicine in the Federal Republic of Germany is presented against the background of historical development. Ideas differ when it comes to identity, academic institutionalisation, the main emphasis of work, the syllabus and future tasks. The heterogenic diversity of the subject is emphasised by the lack of any generally accepted definition. There is a current tendency to regard social medicine exclusively as population medicine rather than more generally as the interaction between disease/health, general social system and the individual. Clinical practical social medicine, epidemiology, health system research/health economy, and public health can be distinguished as important occupational fields. Acquiring the additional title in social medicine is widely recognised as the necessary further training. However, the discussion about improving the training in social medicine at German universities is still causing much controversy. Secure anchoring within the canon of medical subjects is of particular importance regarding the totality of the subject and its future in medical faculties.