The Health of the Public

Graduates must understand the issues and techniques involved in studying the effect of diseases on communities and individuals, including:

• assessing community needs in relation to how services are provided;

• genetic, environmental and social causes of, and influences on the prevention of, illness and disaease; and

• the principles of promoting health and preventing disease, including surveillance and screening.

The Individual in Society

Graduates must understand the social and cultural environment in which medicine is practised in the UK. They must understand human development and areas of psychology and sociology relevant to medicine, including:

• reproduction;

• child, adolescent and adult development;

• cultural background;

• gender;

• disability;

• growing old; and

• occupation.

They must understand a range of social and cultural values, and differing views about healthcare and illness. They must be aware of issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence and abuse of the vulnerable patient. They must recognise the need to make sure that they are not prejudiced by patients' lifestyle, culture, beliefs, race, colour, gender, sexuality, age, mental or physical disability, and social or economic status.

Graduates must take account of patients' understanding and experience of their condition, and be aware of the psychological effect that this can have on them and their families. This is particularly important when dealing with vulnerable patients such as:

• children and older people;

• people with learning disabilities or mental-health problems;

• patients whose complaints are not easily explained as biological abnormalities or diseases; and

• patients who are worried about their condition.

Exploring patients' fears and concerns can help them to understand their condition and to take an active part in decisions about their treatment.

To see the full Tomorrow's Doctors publication, please click here