Department of Community Medicine

Community medicine is a branch of medicine that is concerned with the health of the members of community, municipality or region.

Indian association of preventive and social medicine has defined community medicine as “a science and art of promoting health, preventing diseases and prolonging life by range of interventions (preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative services) in close partnership or association with health care delivery system and with active community participation and intersectoral coordination”.

The learning in community medicine is complementary to all other medical discipline and helps in developing holistic approach in health and medical care. Application in community medicine practice is emphasised keeping focus on the Indian health situation and health care system which will keep the future health professionals of India well informed about country s health condition

The Department of community medicine, a part of this esteemed institution consists of areas of teaching, research and community related services. It is situated in the second floor of college building. It serves the educational needs of undergraduates, post graduates, research scholars and community. Undergraduate course M.B.B.S., started in the year 1986 and Postgraduate course M.D, community medicine started in the year 1996. The department has excellent teaching faculty for both UG and PG. The students and staff are encouraged and guide to conduct regularly research activity.

Goal:

The goal is to enable the student to achieve competence in practice of holistic medicine, encompassing promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative aspects of common diseases.

Objectives:

A. Knowledge:- At the end of the course the student shall be able to:-
1. Describe the health care delivery system including rehabilitation of the disabled in the country;
2. Describe the National Health Programmes with particular emphasis on maternal and child health programmes, family welfare planning and population control;
3. List epidemiological methods and describe their applications to communicable and non communicable diseases in the community or hospital situation;
4. Apply bio-statistical methods and techniques;
5. Outline the demographic pattern of the country and appreciate the roles of the individual family, community and socio-cultural milieu ion health and disease;
6. Describe the health information systems;
7. Enunciate the principles and components of primary health care and the national health policies to achieve the goal of ‘Health administration, Health education in relation to community’.
8. Able to plan Health Programme/IEC activities and able to evaluate a programme.
9. Able to describe principles of organization

B. Skills:- At the end of the course the student should be able to:-
1. Use epidemiology as a scientific tool to make national decisions relevant to community and individual patient intervention;
2. Collect, analyze, interpret and present simple community and hospital based data;
3. Diagnose and manage common health problems and emergencies at the individual family and community levels keeping in mind the existing health care resources and in the context of the prevailing socio-cultural beliefs;
4. Diagnose and manage maternal and child health problems and advise a couple and the community on the family welfare planning methods available in the context of the national priorities;
5. Diagnose and manage common nutritional problems at the individual and community level;
6. Plan, implement and evaluate a health education program with skill to use simple audiovisual aids.
7. Interact with other members of the health care team and participate in the organization of health care team and participate in the organization of health care services and implementation of national health programmes.
8. To conduct group meetings/able to give health talk.

C. Attitudes & Communication skills:-All through the duration of the course, the student should be able to demonstrate:-

• Right spirit towards learning with inquisitiveness.
• Honesty and punctuality in executing curricular & co-curricular work.
• Respect towards books, teachers, fellow colleagues and human volunteers aiding in learning.
• Inclination towards research for gaining deeper knowledge of the subject & its application.
• Effective communication with peers and teachers.
• Ability to work as a team with leadership qualities and communication skills.
• Appreciate the issues of equity and social accountability while community training