OU-HCOM Department of Social Medicine

The Department of Social Medicine is an interdisciplinary department comprised of social scientists, humanities scholars, and physicians. We study the dynamic interplay of people, culture, and the environment, and its impact on health care delivery and health outcomes. Our teaching, research, and service inform medical students, health professionals, and the public about factors affecting clinical decision making, the social responsibilities of health care providers, the social determinants of health and illness, and health policy and politics.

The Department has active research and teaching expertise in the following areas:

Clinical prevention and population health Biostatistics Evidence-based medicine Medical decision making Medical ethics Cultural competence and health care International health and medicine Health policy Gerontology and geriatrics	Maternal and child health Reproductive health Stress, nutrition, and aging Epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular disease Health in Appalachia Medical education Sustainability and urban environments Global warming, climate change, and health

Our faculty’s disciplines include:

Biological Anthropology Biostatistics Epidemiology Experimental Psychology Family Studies	Health Psychology History of Medicine Interpersonal Communication Pediatrics Social Psychology