Martins, Johanna E.Whyte, Carmen J.2021-11-112021-11-112020-08Martins, J. & Whyte, C. 2020, 'Preventive medicine as a specialty to support public health endeavours', Southern African Journal of Public Health, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 56-58.0256-9574 (print)2078-5135 (online)10.7196/SHS.2020.v4.i2.119http://hdl.handle.net/2263/82641There is a worldwide need for the transformation of primary healthcare to accommodate ageing, population growth, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and technological advances. In this article, we discuss the role of preventive medicine as a medical specialty in the transformation of public healthcare systems. A paradigm is proposed within which different modes of medical practice support each other in accordance with their shared objective of disease prevention. The reinstitution of preventive medicine as a specialty, functioning in synergy with public health and incorporating other modalities of practice, will be of considerable benefit to healthcare in southern Africa.en© 2020 Health & Medical Publishing Group. This journal is protected by a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial Works License (CC BY-NC 4.0).TransformationHealthcareDiseasePreventionArticle