HISTORY

HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, USM was established at the same time the School of Medical Sciences was established in 1979 in Penang. At its infant age, the department was manned by Dr Wan Kamaruzzaman Wan Su (now Prof Dato'), Dr Abdul Rahman Isa (now Prof), Dr Rusli Nordin (now Prof) and Dr Mohd Hashim Mohd Hassan. The department moved to the Health Campus in 1990 with the school then. Dr Abdul Rahman Esa was appointed as the first head of department; meanwhile, Dr Wan Kamaruzzaman was appointed as the first university's hospital director and then became the second head of department. Others who had helmed as the head of the department were Prof Dr Zulkifli Ahmad, Prof Dr Ab Aziz Al-Safi, Prof Dr Rusli Nordin, Allahyarham Assoc Prof Dr Razlan Musa and Assoc Prof Dr Mohamed Rusli Abdullah. From January 1, 2013, to April 2021, Prof Dr Aziah Daud served as the departmental head. Presently, the department is under the leadership of Prof Dr Kamarul Imran Musa.

The department contributes in the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and also provides input in public health issues to the relevant authorities. Our department is responsible in planning and running the Community and Family Case Study (CFCS) programme which an academic programme to train the undergraduate students in doing health survey and organizing health programme in the community. For the undergraduate also, they have to go for Preventive Medicine posting during year 5 in old curriculum and during year 4 in the new curriculum.

The postgraduate programme, Master of Community Medicine (MCommMed) was started in 1998 and the first batch of graduates was produced in 2002. The programme was abolished when the Master of Public Health (MPH - a one year programme) was introduced in 2008 and subsequently Doctor of Public Health (DrPH - a three year programme) in 2010. The last batch of MCommMed graduated in 2012 and the first batch of DrPH graduated in 2013. Currently, department has 18 lecturers in 7 specialities and with its excellent track record, undoubtly the Department of Community Medicine is one of the most successful department in the school.