Community Medicine is a specialisation of medicine that deals with healthcare concerning communities holistically. It pertains to giving a broader view of subjects such as health, educating students on the part played by factors such as but not limited to cultural, social and environmental among others, on the community at large. The subject of community medicine aims to familiarise students with the early phases of a disease and how they can deal with such an eventuality. Knowledge about epidemiology, which is imparted as a part of the training, aids students in better understanding the dynamics of disease as well as its transmission. According to most experts, community medicine could be called the most authoritative speciality in medicine, given how overarching it is. Issues such as the high infant mortality rate in certain communities, the spread of an epidemic, hygiene are just a few of the cases where the expertise of a community health professional is required, which makes this one of the most exciting courses for aspiring medical professionals.

As part of the Diploma in Community Medicine course, which is also abbreviated at times as DCM, students will learn several subjects that will allow them to lend their services towards meeting the medical needs of the community and people. As part of their coursework, a student will cover papers such as but not limited to Health Behaviour, Epidemiology (Theory & Application), Health Services Administration, Public Health, Environment & Society, Biostatistics, and Global Applications in Public Health. Given that community medical professionals require a more hands-on approach when at work, the course may include all or at least some of practical papers, actual fieldwork that helps acquaint the students with real-life scenarios, seminars, projects and research work based on their learnings from the course as well as time on the field. The course aims at enabling the student to know the prevention, control and management of diseases that impact the public at large. Since working in the public health domain requires that the professional be familiar with public health laws and institutions of public health Importance, the course may also provide modules on the topic.

As indicated in the name, the Diploma in Community Medicine is a diploma course that has an expected course duration of 2 years. Any candidate with a 10+2 certificate from an institute affiliated with a recognised board of senior secondary education in the country is eligible to apply for admission. Most institutes, however, are known to seek a minimum score of 50% in the qualification exam (10+2). Admissions are usually based on merit and subject to their performance in a written entrance test. Community Medicine as a career leans heavily on the student’s individual view and perspective towards it. Since the branch is a very diverse one, candidates may choose to directly get in the field and employ their services like community health professionals. However, if they are keen on it, there are ample graduate and post-graduate course opportunities, not to mention PhD opportunities after it.