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Fundamentals of epidemiology - an evolving text - Are you looking ...

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Dimensions in the training <strong>of</strong> <strong>an</strong> epidemiologist<br />

I. Epidemiologic perspective<br />

1. Public health aspects: -- History <strong>of</strong> <strong>epidemiology</strong>, <strong>epidemiology</strong> as a public<br />

health science, clinical <strong>an</strong>d public policy implications.<br />

2. Scientific aspects: -- Problem conceptualization, philosophy <strong>of</strong> inference,<br />

study designs, interpretation <strong>of</strong> data, concepts <strong>of</strong> bias <strong>an</strong>d multicausality.<br />

II. Measurement <strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>alysis: Measures <strong>of</strong> disease frequency <strong>an</strong>d<br />

extent, study designs <strong>an</strong>d strategies, control <strong>of</strong> sources <strong>of</strong> error,<br />

statistical inference, data <strong>an</strong>alysis <strong>an</strong>d interpretation.<br />

III. Weighing epidemiologic evidence: Critical reading <strong>an</strong>d<br />

synthesizing <strong>of</strong> information.<br />

IV. Proposal development: Specification <strong>of</strong> research hypotheses,<br />

study populations, measurement tools, <strong>an</strong>alysis strategies; hum<strong>an</strong><br />

subjects protection; “gr<strong>an</strong>tsm<strong>an</strong>ship”.<br />

V. Study design <strong>an</strong>d execution: Protocol development, subject<br />

recruitment, instrumentation, data collection, quality control,<br />

reporting <strong>an</strong>d communications collaboration <strong>an</strong>d working with<br />

oversight bodies, presentation <strong>of</strong> findings.<br />

VI. Data m<strong>an</strong>agement: M<strong>an</strong>ipulation <strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>alysis <strong>of</strong> data using<br />

computers <strong>an</strong>d statistical s<strong>of</strong>tware packages.<br />

VII. Subst<strong>an</strong>tive knowledge: General background in health-related<br />

sciences <strong>an</strong>d multidisciplinary underst<strong>an</strong>ding <strong>of</strong> specific areas <strong>of</strong><br />

research.<br />

VIII. Epidemiologist roles: Development <strong>of</strong> skills for teaching,<br />

consultation, review <strong>of</strong> proposals <strong>an</strong>d m<strong>an</strong>uscripts, participation<br />

in pr<strong>of</strong>essional meetings, leadership <strong>of</strong> multidisciplinary research<br />

teams, <strong>an</strong>d continuing pr<strong>of</strong>essional development.<br />

(Used for a number <strong>of</strong> years by the UNC Department <strong>of</strong> Epidemiology as <strong>an</strong> outline <strong>of</strong><br />

areas <strong>of</strong> required competencies)<br />

_____________________________________________________________________________________________<br />

www.epidemiolog.net, © Victor J. Schoenbach 1999, 2000<br />

rev. 9/26/1999, 8/20/2000, 3/9/2001 1. Epidemiology Definition, functions, <strong>an</strong>d characteristics - 16

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