Community medicine, also known as preventive medicine or public health, is generally considered a non-clinical subject. It focuses on the health of populations and communities as a whole, rather than on individual patient care.
Clinical subjects are those that involve direct patient care and the diagnosis, treatment, and management of individual patients' medical conditions. Examples of clinical subjects include internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, and various medical specialties.
On the other hand, community medicine or public health deals with the prevention of diseases, promotion of health, and improvement of overall health outcomes at the population level. It emphasizes the identification and analysis of health trends and risk factors in communities, as well as the implementation of interventions to address public health issues. Professionals in this field work to improve the health of entire communities, often through policy development, health education, disease surveillance, and research.
Public health practitioners and experts focus on areas such as epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health education, health policy, global health, and community health assessment. Their work involves understanding health disparities, assessing community needs, and implementing strategies to promote health and prevent diseases on a larger scale.
While community medicine is a non-clinical subject, it plays a crucial role in complementing clinical care by working to prevent illnesses and improve the overall health of populations, which can lead to better health outcomes and reduced healthcare burden in the long term.