D E Lilienfeld has recently argued in favour of the need to put new emphasis on the training of general epidemiologists.1 In the past, it was believed that epidemiology was a branch of medicine.2 In Spain, however, epidemiology as an official speciality simply does not exist although, curiously enough, there are epidemiologists and some very good ones.

According to my credentials, I am a doctor who is specialised in preventive medicine and public health. This is not precise enough. It is a speciality diluted by itself. Having said that, I have been working for …