The Department of Community Medicine was established in the year 2018. The goal of the department is to train and empower medical students to become competent first contact physicians who can work in primary care settings. It aims to build leadership qualities and it motivates them to be effective communicators and health educators. The department provides preventive, promotive and curative health services to the community.
The teaching and training methods adopted include lectures, small group discussions, seminars, clinic-social case discussions, problem-solving exercises, field visits and public health laboratory.
The department has a government affiliated Rural Health Training Centre in Thyamagondlu, Nelamangala, Bengaluru Rural District and government affiliate Urban Health Training centre at Makali, Bengaluru. The department is also tasked with implementing all national health programs in the affiliated health centres and it also conducts epidemiological research and training programs and supports the research activities of other departments by giving epidemiological and statistical assistance.
The department is well-equipped with a practice hall, a museum and a library. The department conducts regular health camps in villages nearby, provides health care, referral services and relevant health education. School health camps and Village health clinics are also organized on a regular basis. The department also intends to produce professional and ethical public health specialists for the nation.