The health of populations — not individuals. A department built on field epidemiology, Urban and Rural Health Training Centres, ICMR-funded research and a culture of paperless data collection via Epicollect. Medical education that begins in the village.
The health of populations — not individuals. A department built on field epidemiology, Urban and Rural Health Training Centres, ICMR-funded research and a culture of paperless data collection via Epicollect. Medical education that begins in the village.
24 faculty & officers
2 training centres · Urban + Rural
11 thrust areas
UG seats / year
MD CM seats / year
Faculty & officers
Research projects
A multidisciplinary, socially oriented discipline — integrating epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, nutrition, MCH and national programme evaluation.
Community Medicine at AVMCH provides high-quality training for MBBS, MD Community Medicine, MPH and Allied Health Sciences students. The department delivers promotive, preventive and curative services through Urban (Mudhaliarpet) and Rural (Chinnakanganakuppam) Health Training Centres, with free OPD, drug distribution, screening camps, school health initiatives and family adoption programmes.
Faculty lead national and state public-health programmes, epidemiological research and institutional governance — ethics committees, NAAC/NMC documentation, curriculum planning and interdisciplinary collaboration. Paperless data collection with the Epicollect application underpins an increasingly digital pedagogy.
Forty-seven research projects since 2023 — ICMR and intramural funding on tobacco cessation, NCD risk factors, menstrual health, digital wellness and health disparities. Plus an Ohio-funded HPV cost-effectiveness study.
Training integrates field epidemiology, biostatistics, programme evaluation and digital public-health workflows through Urban and Rural HTC postings, village surveys and community-based interventions.
Research Focus
Centres · Urban HTC · Rural HTC · Village surveys · Camps
Outreach
Courses · Field Epidemiology · Healthcare Delivery · Value-added UG
Academic Programmes
Undergraduate · Competency-based
Postings across Urban and Rural HTCs, family studies, diet surveys, national programme offices and industrial public-health sites. Value-added courses in Field Epidemiology.
Postgraduate · 3-year specialty
Biostatistics, epidemiology, national health programme administration, qualitative research, ICMR/ICSSR methodology and field dissertations.
Dr J. Arun Daniel — Professor & HOD — PI on an Ohio-funded cost-effectiveness analysis of HPV screening in India, with published work on menopause, lifestyle disease and rural women's health.
Professor & Head · MBBS, MD, PhD
PI — Supply- and Demand-side Barriers to HPV Screening & Cost-effectiveness Analysis of HPV Screening in India (Extramural, Ohio). Author of multiple papers in Cureus, Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology and the International Journal of Pharmaceutical & Clinical Research. Co-lead of the Karkinos collaboration on NCD screening for Puducherry citizens. Convenor of the Workshop on Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis (2023) and World Epidemiology Day (2025).
23 qualified professionals committed to clinical excellence.
Dr. D. Arunachalam
Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. T. Prasad
Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. N. Nishanthini
Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. R. Angusubalakshmi
Assistant Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. S. Bhuvaneswary
Assistant Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. R. Arul Prasad
Assistant Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. R. Govindaraj
Assistant Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. V. S. Simon Jude
Assistant Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. Sandra Fernandez
Assistant Professor
MBBS, MD
Dr. R. Anand Babu
Assistant Professor
Environmental Science
Dr. A. Sowmya
Senior Resident
MBBS, MD
Dr. T. Kawya
Senior Resident
MBBS, MD
Dr. T. Saranyaa
Senior Resident
MBBS, MD
Dr. S. V. Adheedhan
Senior Resident
MBBS, MD
Dr. S. Janani
Senior Resident
MBBS, MD
Dr. G. Subash Chandra Bose
Lecturer cum Biostatistician
M.Sc, PhD
Mrs. K. Sevvanthi
Statistician
M.Sc Biostatistics
Dr. V. J. Nithya
Medical Officer
MBBS
Dr. Agilan
Medical Officer
MBBS
Dr. Nivea Padmavathi
Medical Officer
MBBS
Dr. M. Yeshmathi
Medical Officer
MBBS
Dr. Pooja Lakshmi
Medical Officer
MBBS
Dr. Sugamathi
Medical Officer
MBBS
TB, HIV, vector-borne and emerging infections — epidemiology and surveillance.
Risk factors, screening and management of diabetes, HTN, CVD and cancer.
MCH, nutrition, immunisation and RMNCH+A programme evaluation.
Pollution, climate, water, waste, housing and occupational hazards.
Nutritional status, obesity, malnutrition and lifestyle behaviours.
Accessibility, financing, workforce and programme evaluation.
Disease distribution, surveillance systems and public-health analytics.
BCC, community participation and social determinants of behaviour.
Ageing, quality of life and community mental-health interventions.
Preparedness, response, resilience to epidemics and pandemics.
ML, surveillance, risk prediction and decision-support tools.
ICMR, Ohio, intramural and ICMR-STS funded. Below — a curated twelve across the full range of thrust areas.
Research Snapshot
12 projects highlights from a pool of 47
05 ongoing 07 completed
| # | Project | PI | Funding | Focus | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | HPV Screening for Cervical Cancer Prevention in India — Cost-Effectiveness & Barriers | PI: Dr. Arun Daniel · Dr. Shyamkumar Sriram · Faculty | Extramural · Ohio | Screening | Completed |
| 02 | Positive Deviance Approach in Prevention & Control of Dengue — Mixed-Method Study | PI: Dr. R. Sachudhanandham · PG | Extramural · ICMR | Vector-borne | Ongoing |
| 03 | Burden & Associated Factors of Burnout among School Teachers of Puducherry | PI: Dr. Nivedhan Sundaram · PG | Extramural · ICMR | Mental health | Ongoing |
| 04 | Tobacco Cessation Intervention among Auto-Rickshaw Drivers — RCT | PI: Dr. Vivek Anand V · PG | Extramural · ICMR | RCT | Ongoing |
| 05 | Health Promotion on NCD Risk Factors among Rural Fishermen — Embedded Experimental | PI: Dr. Nijanthan D · PG | Extramural · ICMR | NCD | Ongoing |
| 06 | Nutritional & Mental Health Disparities — Childcare Institutions vs Community Adolescents | PI: Dr. Neena Mathew · PG | Extramural · ICMR | Adolescent | Ongoing |
| 07 | TB Treatment — Direct & Indirect Costs among Patients in Puducherry | PI: Dr. S. V. Adheedhan · PG | Extramural · NTEP | TB | Completed |
| 08 | Dietary & Lifestyle Patterns Associated with Risk of OSA in Puducherry — Case Control | PI: Dr. S. V. Adheedhan · PG | Self | Published | Completed |
| 09 | Old Age Pension Scheme — Utilisation & Satisfaction among Rural Elderly | PI: Dr. Nagavalli · PG | Self | Published | Completed |
| 10 | Leptin & BMI Association — Community Case Control among Rural Adults | PI: Mr. Mugesh S · UG | ICMR-STS | UG | Completed |
| 11 | Healthy Ageing Index — Functional, Psychological & CV Risk in Urban Adults | PI: Dr. R. Angusubalakshmi · Faculty | Intramural · Seed | Geriatric | Ongoing |
| 12 | Air Pollution Indices & Respiratory Morbidity in Urban Puducherry — Time-Series Analysis | PI: Dr. T. Saranyaa · PG | Self | Time-series | Completed |
Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology · Online
Dr. J. Arun Daniel
Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology · Online
Dr. J. Arun Daniel
Cureus · ISSN 2168-8184
Dr. N. Nishanthini
International Journal of Pharmaceutical & Clinical Research · 0975-1556
Dr. J. Arun Daniel
Journal of Research & Health · ISSN 2423-5717
Dr. Aumrin Fathima, Dr. Arun Daniel
Global Journal of Public Health Medicine · 2664-4657
Dr. Deepana, Dr. Sudha, Dr. Vignesh, Dr. Bose
Research Journal of Medical Sciences · 1993-609
Dr. N. Nishanthini
IJMSCR · ISSN 2209-2870
Dr. Sowmya A, Dr. Arun Daniel, Mrs. Sevvanthi
IJMSCR · ISSN 2209-2870
Dr. T. Kawya, Dr. Arun Daniel
IJMSCR · ISSN 2209-2870
Dr. S. Subha Lakshmi, Dr. Vignesh, Mrs. Sevvanthi, Dr. Arunachalam
Daily OPD · Camps
OPD + IP + Delivery
Monthly
Longitudinal
Models + posters
Models of public-health importance and posters of eminent public-health scientists — supporting UG and PG teaching.
Water & practicals
Water analysis, milk testing and essential public-health practical training for UG and PG students.
Biostat & data
Computers and public-health instruments supporting epidemiological research and PG dissertation work.
AV-equipped
Two spacious AV-equipped rooms for UG/PG teaching, practical classes and community-medicine demonstrations.
Textbooks & journals
Standard public-health textbooks, journals and reference works for PG students and faculty.
Paperless data
Internet-enabled classrooms, portable Wi-Fi and the Epicollect app for paperless field-data collection.
Philosophy
CM · AVMCH
“Bridging clinical medicine and public health — with epidemiology, biostatistics and the social determinants of health at the centre of the training.
Department of Community Medicine, AVMCH & Hospital
Dr. Vineesh H
Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation · VMRF Salem · 2024
Dr. P. Deepana
VMRF Salem · 2024
Dr. A. Sowmya
VMRF Salem · 2025
Dr. A. M. Arun Vineeth
TANCOMCHI & SLIMS · Hotel Aditi, Puducherry · 2025
Dr. Nivedhan Sundaram
Shri Sathya Sai Medical College · 28-29.08.2024
Dr. J. Varsha
Shree Balaji Medical College, Chennai · 23.07.2025
Dr. G. Subash Chandrabose
Microbiology Research Journal International · 2023
Dr. T. Saranyaa · Dr. Nagavalli · Dr. Nivedhan · Dr. Neena
Pediatrics & Community Medicine, AVMCH · 2024-25
24
MAR 2023
150 + 55 participants
Dr. Rajan Rushender, Dr. Vignesh
29
MAR 2023
30 participants
Dr. Rajan Rushender, Dr. Arun Daniel
12
MAY 2023
162 participants
Dr. Rajan Rushender, Dr. Vignesh
08
APR 2024
154 participants
Dr. Arunachalam, Dr. Nishanthini
13
SEP 2024
120 participants · Training
Dr. Arunachalam, Dr. Nishanthini
18
NOV 2024
165 + 15 participants
Dr. Arunachalam, Dr. Bhuvaneswary, Dr. Govindaraj
10
SEP 2025
100 participants
Mrs. Sivagangai, Dr. Arun Daniel
03
NOV 2025
148 participants
Dr. Arun Daniel, Dr. Bhuvaneswary
For research collaborations on NCD screening, HPV, tobacco cessation and maternal-child health — as well as Urban/Rural HTC visits and field-epidemiology training — please contact the HOD directly.
HOD:Dr. J. Arun Daniel
E-mail:arundaniel.jayakumar@avmc.edu.in
Mobile:+91 98942 36074
Address:AVMCH & Hospital, Kirumampakkam, Puducherry — 607 402
"The clinical exposure and mentorship I received in this department shaped my entire career. The faculty goes above and beyond to ensure we grasp both the theoretical and practical aspects of patient care."
Dr. Ananya Sharma
Alumni · Class of 2021
"State-of-the-art facilities and a rigorous academic environment make this department stand out. I am extremely grateful for the hands-on research opportunities that were available from day one."
Rahul Menon
Student · Current Final Year
"A truly remarkable department with a strong emphasis on competency-based learning. The regular CMEs, specialty clinics, and dedicated teaching sessions have provided me with a strong foundation."
Dr. Priya Desai
Alumni · Class of 2019
