The Department of Community Medicine was established as the Department of Hygiene and Bacteriology in 1925 with Dr C. Rama Murty as its first professor. It was first housed in the old Civil Hospital building (present Physiology block). It was renamed as Department of Social and Preventive Medicine in the year 1955. Post graduate courses were started in 1974-75, this department is now named  Department of Community Medicine.

The Department of Community Medicine also has a prize for the best postgraduate student every year.

PRIZE: Meritorious students are conferred with Silver Jubilee Celebration Committee Prize and Endowment medal, Dr Sonti Dakshina Murty Prize and Dr Vallabha Sastry Prize.