The Department of Community and Family Medicine (DCFM) is committed to achieving excellence in teaching, research, and clinical practice in the disciplines of community medicine, public health, and primary care.

The undergraduate curriculum spans all five years of the medical programme. It trains undergraduates to critically analyze health issues in their broader social context; design public health/primary care interventions to address health problems; medelop skills in communication and public health management; and cultivate positive attitudes toward health promotion. DCFM also functions as a training center for the MD in Community Medicine in partnership with the Post-Graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, and offers elective attachments to international medical students.

Ongoing research initiatives at the Department span a range of topics, including non-communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, primary care, and health systems. The Department’s academic staff members collaborate with international institutions and organizations in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.

The service functions of DCFM include: administering the University Field Project Area in collaboration with the Medical Officer of Health-Nallur; providing leadership for the organization of public health campaigns and other health promotion activities in the Northern Province; delivering primary care services through the Family Health Centre by adopting an innovative model of community-oriented primary care; contributing to service provision through various community-based organizations; and designing and publishing health education material.