Socio-Medical Sciences in Public Health

According to the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, socio-medical sciences take public health challenges on a broad social, historical, and political context at the local, regional, and global levels. This includes challenges saddled with social inequality and health inequities throughout society. Some examples of public health issues that fall within this realm are aging, obesity, urban health, sexual health, homelessness, mass incarceration, adolescent health, immigrant health, etc¹.

What does socio-medical sciences mean in the context of public health?

Social science theories and methods can contribute to understanding the distribution of health problems in the population. Social sciences focus on identifying and addressing persistent social realities and inequalities with an interest in advancing the understanding of social forces that shape public health. Social scientists use theories in the following disciplines from anthropology, psychology, sociology to economics, ethics, and history². Social science research is imperative to addressing public health issues and stimulating transformation for the better.²

There are more specific topics within the socio-medical sciences realm that are worth diving into. Social epidemiology looks to pinpoint societal characteristics that affect the pattern of disease and health distribution, and delve into its mechanisms⁵. One main question in this discipline is what effect do social factors have on individual and population health? Moreover, medical sociology addresses “how social stratification affects patterns of health and illness behavior, illness risk, disability, and other health care outcomes”⁶.

Both disciplines emphasize the role of socio environmental factors in health and disease on individuals, groups, and society as a whole (6). These subdisciplines all fall under the socio-medical sciences, which as stated previously, take a holistic approach to addressing public health issues.

What is the role of socio-medical sciences in public health?

Socio-medical science in public health has numerous career paths which can be pursued. Some examples of roles within the socio-medical sciences space are:

• Research project manager or research analyst at the PA State Psychiatric institute

• Policy maker at the Department of Aging

• Outreach coordinator at a homeless shelter¹

Moreover, if one decides to pursue a PhD, there are many research opportunities within this socio-medical science space. As an example, one PhD student at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, is studying the emergence of abortion doulas across various states, particularly in the South where political opposition is robust⁴. As one might conclude, there is no shortage of socio-medical science in public health concerns to tackle in the future². There will only be more pandemics, more issues related to climate, and so forth to delve into.

We need a strong public health workforce, and specifically those who work on finding interdisciplinary solutions to these pressing needs.

Why should you pursue a career in socio-medical sciences?

A career in socio-medical science is not the “traditional” public health route – but rather takes a different approach to solving society’s issues. Understanding how history, anthropology, psychology, and other socio-medical sciences topics contribute to the current state of public health is imperative.

Let’s investigate the various routes that can be taken within this topic:

There are numerous career paths and/or advanced training one could venture into with a degree in socio-medical sciences. With an undergraduate degree in socio-medical sciences, the clinical health professions career path is an option with further graduate-level training such as physician assistant, nursing school, dental school, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine².

Moreover, an undergraduate degree in this can lead to entry level positions in allied health fields such as community health worker, health education specialists, healthcare administrator, health policy analyst, and public health researchers 2.

Steps for how to prepare for a career in socio-medical sciences

So, if reading up to this point has piqued interest, here are a few tips to consider before embarking on this career path. If possible, take academic courses in the social sciences, public health, and biology to further deepen your understanding of socio-medical sciences². Be aware there are entry level positions within this realm, but further advanced training will most likely be needed for future success. Some skills to focus on for a degree in this space are flexibility and innovation³.

Narrowing down one’s interest within the socio-medical science space is incredibly important to finding the college or program that suits an individual’s goals. Review the college’s and/or program’s website to learn more about the various classes needed to obtain the degree. There may be options to pursue a certificate, along with your degree, which will only allow a candidate to stand out more to a potential employer or advanced training admissions team¹.

While this depends solely on an individual’s interests, some degree programs one can look into are: Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and SUNY Geneseo. Both institutions have SMS majors with proven track records of success for their graduates^1,2. Socio-medical sciences in public health looks further than numbers and statistical evidence to tackle issues but works to understand the social, political, historical, cultural, and economic forces that are behind various health outcomes.

If you are ready to change people’s lives for the better, and help future generations, pursue a public health degree in socio-medical sciences today.