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
Wednesday, May 7
9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Campbell's Market
Wednesday, May 7
5:00 PM — 8:00 PM
Dublin Campus
Friday, May 9
1:30 PM — 3:00 PM
Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium
May 6, 2025
Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate Cameron Bowman is looking forward to putting what he's learned in medical school to work when he starts his residency in internal medicine at Kettering Health Grandview in Dayton.
May 6, 2025
Cleveland native Imani Sellers' interest in medicine sparked because of her grandparents, but she also wanted to make a difference in underserved communities and diversify medicine. The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate has matched in family medicine at Ohio Health Dublin Methodist Hospital.
May 6, 2025
A rotation helped fuel a passion for endocrinology in Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2025 graduate Ashley Gerard, who matched to an internal medicine residency at OhioHealth Doctors Hospital.
May 6, 2025
Class of 2025 graduate M. Blake Suponcic is about to take the next step in his career. He matched in orthopedic surgery at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital, his number one pick in the specialty he's been focused on for years.
May 6, 2025
Sandusky native Lauren Noftz is about to graduate from the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, but she's not your typical student. The mother of three is now headed to her number one pick for residency
May 1, 2025
Dr. Maryam Ahmed’s path from international student to virologist and department chair at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ reflects a journey shaped by curiosity and resilience. Now a leading researcher at the Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, she studies how viruses can be used to fight cancer, while also working to modernize science education and improve public health outreach in Appalachian communities.
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, Ohio area from Bolivia. Now, the Class of 2025 Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate is about to head into a general surgery residency at OhioHealth Doctors Hospital.
April 16, 2025
Former Otterbein University football player Jacob Tiell reflects on his time at the ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ 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 OhioHealth. The Canton, Ohio 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 OhioHealth 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 Ohio Osteopathic Symposium as its 2024 Medal of Merit winner.
November 20, 2024
Twenty students from ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ 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 Ohio.