Social Medicine
Making a local and global impact
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, the environment and their 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.
Chair, Joe Bianco
Email: bianco@ohio.edu
Phone: 740.593.2130
Administrative Specialist, Cassie Tritipo
Email: tritipo@ohio.edu
Phone: 740.593.4694
Our Expertise
Our department has active research and teaching expertise in the following areas:
- Biostatistics
- Clinical prevention and population health
- Cultural competence and health care
- Epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- Evidence-based medicine
- Gerontology and geriatrics
- Global warming, climate change and health
- Health in Appalachia
- Health policy
- International health and medicine
- Maternal and child health
- Medical decision making
- Medical ethics
- Reproductive health
- Stress, nutrition and aging
- Sustainability and urban environments
Our Disciplines
Our faculty's disciplines include:
- Biological anthropology
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Experimental psychology
- Family studies
- Health psychology
- History of medicine
- Interpersonal communication
- Pediatrics
- Social psychology
Global Health Initiative
Students, faculty and staff experience impactful research, education and outreach activities abroad and in immigrant communities in the U.S. to truly understand global health issues and increase multicultural awareness.
Our Faculty
Discover the diverse research topics and current projects conducted by our faculty.
Social Medicine
From our mission to teaching topics to employment opportunities, you’ll find it all here.
Events
Monday, April 21
9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Powell's Food Fair 700 E. Main Street Pomeroy, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ 45769
Monday, April 21
6:00 PM — 7:30 PM
Heritage Hall
Tuesday, April 22
11:00 AM — 1:00 PM
HCOM Cleveland Campus
April 17, 2025
Inspired to become a physician by her pediatrician, Class of 2025 graduate Holly Ward matched into a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) residency.
April 17, 2025
New mom Madeline Olson had her son at the same time students were doing their residency interviews, but it didn't stop the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2025 graduate from securing a family medicine residency at Dublin Methodist Hospital.
April 17, 2025
When he was three years old, Paulo Nunes Maldonado and his family came to the Wooster, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ area from Bolivia. Now, the Class of 2025 Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate is about to head into a general surgery residency at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHealth Doctors Hospital.
April 16, 2025
Former Otterbein University football player Jacob Tiell reflects on his time at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine as he prepares to graduate.
April 16, 2025
Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2025 graduate Michelle Cugino says she's excited to start delivering babies, so it comes as no surprise that she has matched in OB/GYN with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHealth. The Canton, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ native shares more about what led her to a career in medicine.
April 16, 2025
When he graduates, Cory Edwards will become the first physician in his family. The former high school biology teacher and soon-to-be Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2025 graduate is about to head to an internal medicine residency at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. He shares advice about how to navigate medical school, especially as a first generation medical student.
April 16, 2025
Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2025 graduate Talia Minisall is thankful for the many friends who've had her back throughout medical school. She says their support gave her the motivation to succeed. She shares more about her journey to medical school.
April 4, 2025
Tick Bite Prevention Week was observed on the Athens campus with Stop the Bite, an educational event hosted by the Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute.
March 28, 2025
Jared Storck, D.O., president of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Society of Alumni & Friends, shares his story about becoming a friend of the college and leading the SAF.
March 28, 2025
The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine hosted its inaugural Health Equity Symposium on the Dublin campus featuring speakers and attendees who are working to improve health outcomes for patients.
March 28, 2025
Heritage College alumnus Scott Smith, D.O., a month away from retirement, reflects on a 28 year career as a rural family practitioner.
November 21, 2024
Francis Essien, D.O. (’18), met Bryan Grooms, D.O. (’11) during his first year working at Campus Care and the OMM lab. Grooms remained in Athens after graduation to complete his family medicine residency at O’Bleness, and they quickly found commonalities and connections beyond medicine, deepening their bond over days training in the gym.
November 21, 2024
The Heritage College Medal of Merit is awarded to graduates who have achieved distinction in their chosen field of medicine through commitment and exemplary leadership. This is the college’s most prestigious award and the Society of Alumni and Friends recognized Dr. Ralph Crew at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Osteopathic Symposium as its 2024 Medal of Merit winner.
November 20, 2024
Twenty students from Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University and the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador participated in the ITDI STARS program. Here's a look at the rich learning experience students had in Ecuador and Appalachian Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ.
November 19, 2024
The Heritage College's RUSP program collaborated with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHealth and the OHIO Women's Center to pack bags containing essential items for menstrual health on Period Action Day, an annual event dedicated to ending inadequate access to menstrual products and health education.
October 2, 2024
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine student Colin Wilson has been accepted as a 2024/25 Gene A. Copello Health Advocacy Fellow. Doctors for America announced that he is one of 16 leaders selected for the program.
September 6, 2024
In August, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine hosted a four-day orientation for osteopathic leaders interested in becoming more engaged in health policy.
August 22, 2024
For the past 10 years, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine has hosted the OHIO (Dublin) Medical Academy drawing fifty-six selected Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ high school students to its Dublin campus for an immersive four-day summer camp experience. At this 10-year milestone, Keagan Lipak, OMS IV, a Medical Academy Scholar in 2022, reconnected with his peer scholars to talk with them about their experience with the program.
July 16, 2024
What is a global experience in South Africa like? Cameron Nicholson-Gardner, OMS II, gives us a closer look at his first week shadowing physicians and seeing patients in an under-resourced health care setting in Cape Town, South Africa.
May 17, 2024
At a pair of celebrations, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine recognized the achievements of students in the Class of 2024, and introduced a new award created to honor the legacy of one of the college’s founders.