In recent years, the concept of population medicine has emerged as a research field that has important implications for healthcare practice and policy decision-making. It specifically aims to improve overall health of patient populations and safety, quality and efficiency of healthcare system. This paper descried the background, definition and characteristics of population medicine, discussed relationship between population medicine and population health and evidence-based medicine. It also introduced Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School as a world-class model in the field of population medicine, discussed the needs and potential strategies for developing population medicine research in China, and briefly outlined the current development of population medicine in China.
