The department of community medicine is being functioning since the inception of Sri Devaraj Urs medical college with an aim of preparing primary health care physicians who are able to provide comprehensive health care services to the community. Since 2007 it is functioning as a university department under Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research, Kolar. As a university department it admits postgraduate students for the preparation of specialists in the field of community medicine. Apart from the class room facilities and public health laboratory facilities for teaching and training of students, the department also administers an urban health centre at Kolar town and a rural health centre at Devarayasamudra village in Mulbagal Taluk of Kolar district.

Undergraduate students, interns and postgraduates are posted to these centres to observe and practice community medicine under the supervision of the faculty and field staff. The department also provides medical services to the communities of Kolar and neighboring Chikaballapur districts through outreach clinics and general and specialty health camps. The department networks extensively with the district health administration and its health centres, panchayats, non-governmental organizations, trusts, individuals and groups in organizing these services.

The faculty, postgraduates and the field staff are involved in the delivery of and monitoring and evaluation activities of national health programmes in the district. In order to create awareness on health and disease in the community the department conducts programmes to educate the public with community involvement. Conducting national and international health days and events in the community is undertaken to achieve the objective of educating the people in health.