The Department of Community Medicine formerly known as Preventive and Social Medicine was established in January 1966 under the leadership of Dr. R. Bhaskar Rao as Head of the Department. He developed the teaching and Practical training programme.
Former Heads of the Department:
| Sl. No | Name of the Head of the Department | From | To |
| 1 | Dr. B. Sridhar Rao | 18th June 1968 | 31st June 1996 |
| 2 | Dr. A. S. Wantamutte | 1st July 1996 | 31st October 2009 |
| 3 | Dr. (Mrs.) Vijaya A. Naik | 1st November 2009 | 31st July 2012 |
| 4 | Dr. S.M. Katti | 1st August 2012 | 31st May 2016 |
| 5 | Dr. (Mrs.) Padmaja R.Walvekar | 1st June 2016 | 1st March 2020 |
| 6 | Dr. Shivaswamy M. S | 2nd March 2020 | 14th July 2022 |
The present HOD is Dr. Chandra S Metgud, who took charge from 15th July 2022. The Department since inception has organized several scientific programmes including one National Conference of IAPSM and two KACH state conferences, Nine CMEs, Nine Workshops, Two National seminars, One Symposium & One National Webinar. The Department has organized Seventeen Guest Lectures since May 2010. 4th PG Alumni Meet was held on 16th December 2023.
Under ‘Arogya Bandhu Scheme’, from 7th April 2004 to February 2016, the administrative control of three Primary Health Centres namely Kinaye, Vantamuri & Handiganur has been undertaken by the College. Similarly, three Urban Health Centres namely Ram Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Rukmini Nagar of Belagavi had been handed over to J.N. Medical College, Belagavi from 1st December 2011 to February 2016 & the management / supervision of these PHCs / UHCs is done by the Department of Community Medicine. Under ‘Revised Arogya Bandhu Scheme’ from 1st July 2017 till date, the administrative control of two Primary Health Centres namely Kinaye & Vantamuri and two Urban Health Centres namely Ashok Nagar and Rukmini Nagar has been undertaken by the College in collaboration with Zilla Panchayat, Belagavi, Government of Karnataka. The Department of Community Medicine is involved in the management / supervision of these PHCs & UHCs.
For the year 2009 the Department was awarded as ‘Best Performing Department’ of J. N. Medical College, Belagavi. Three faculty members of our department are recipient of “KAHER, JNMC, Best Teacher Award” & One Senior Faculty is recipient of ‘KAHER’s Teacher of Teachers Award’. The Department received ‘Runner-up Prize’ in the ‘Suvarna JNMC Medical Exhibition’ held from 25th August to 2nd September 2013 among Pre-& Para-Clinical Departments. The Department was actively involved in the Medical Science Exhibition conducted during the year 2016 & 2022. The Department has well equipped departmental library with latest edition of books, journals, WHO monograms and publications. Innovative undergraduate teaching methods like Case Based Teaching, Cinemeducation, etc. are adopted since many years and Family Adoption Program is also implemented by the department. Similarly, the Post-graduates are involved in the investigation of disease outbreaks, National Pulse Polio Immunization Programme, MR Eradication Campaign, Mission Indradhanush Programme and National Covid Immunization Programme.