How To Become A Clinical Epidemiologist

Transcription

1 CHS Graduate Student & in Description Additional Admission MSc PhD MSc Healthcare MSc Clinical is the study of the distribution of diseases in populations and of factors that influence the occurrence of disease. examines epidemic (excess) and endemic (always present) diseases; it is based on the observation that most diseases do not occur randomly, but are related to environmental and personal characteristics that vary by place, time, and subgroup of the population 1. Healthcare is the study of infection control and prevention, while applying epidemiologic principles and prevention strategies to a wide range of quality-of-care issues. The goal is to maintain the utmost quality of patient care and healthcare worker safety in all healthcare settings Healthcare Epidemiologists specialize in one of four areas: Education Surveillance/outbreak management Consultation Research 2. Clinical epidemiology is defined in a variety of ways, including: -a basic science for clinical medicine; -the study of determinants and effects of clinical decisions; and -the study of the variation in the outcome of illness and the reasons for that variation. In CHS clinical epidemiology is considered a framework for health professionals who wish to move beyond standard critical appraisal skills to: -skills in research methods, data collection and measurement, -analysis and optimal interpretation of data, -a framework for the practice of academic medicine or academic nursing, etc. none none none Must have a Health Professional Degree (e.g., MD, MScN, etc) OR involvement in 1 Definition of. McGraw-Hill Professional Sci-Tech Encyclopedia. Accessed on-line November 14, 2007 at 2 Definition of Healthcare. The Society of Healthcare of America. Accessed on-line November 14, 2007 at Hospital has been replaced by Healthcare to reflect a broader context of practice. Revised July 2011 Page 1 of 5

2 CHS Graduate Student & in CHS Core Courses MSc PhD MSc Healthcare MSc Clinical MDCH 600 (Fall Block Week): Introduction to Community Health Sciences MDCH 641: Fundamentals of MDCH 601 (Winter Block Week): Determinants of Health I MDCH 681: Health Research Methods All incoming PhD students are expected to have completed the core courses required at the Master s level. If not, there are two options: complete the core courses; request an exemption based on completing equivalent courses at another university. MDCH 600 (Fall Block Week): Introduction to Community Health Sciences MDCH 641: Fundamentals of MDCH 601 (Winter Block Week): Determinants of Health I MDCH 681: Health Research Methods clinical practice. MDCH 600 (Fall Block Week): Introduction to Community Health Sciences MDCH 641: Fundamentals of MDCH 601 (Winter Block Week): Determinants of Health I MDCH 681: Health Research Methods Required Courses for MDCH 611: II: Models for Health Outcomes MDCH 740: Advanced Four courses appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic are required. These are selected in consultation with Supervisor/Committee and must include the Required Courses for at the Master's level if not previously completed. MDCH 611: II: Models for Health Outcomes MDCH 649: of Infectious diseases MDCH 643: Research in Healthcare Two of the following: MDSC 612 Medical Microbiology MDCH 647: Clinical MDCH 641: Introduction to Clinical Trials MDCH 741 Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis MDCH 611: II: Models for Health Outcomes NOTE: all course work must be completed prior to the PhD Candidacy Examination. MDSC Pathogenesis of Bacterial diseases Revised July 2011 Page 2 of 5

3 CHS Graduate Student & in MSc PhD MSc Healthcare MSc Clinical Electives Additional Seminars At least one graduate level course appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with supervisor. At least one graduate level course appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with supervisor. Recommended: weekly Infectious Diseases Rounds Practicum None None Practice half-time (i.e., about hours/week) in an infection control capacity for a period of 3 6 months. 3 (in addition to Foundation Aug 08) A. Role as Researcher 1. Conduct Analyses stratified analysis; direct and indirect standardization; access epidemiology data to assess population health, e.g., National Survey data, vital statistics data, health admin data (e.g., physician billing, hospital separations, reportable diseases, surveillance data sets) calculate pop health indicators, e.g., infant versus perinatal mortality rate, life A. Role as Researcher 1. Formulate and defend a research proposal appropriate for the study of a health problem, from an epidemiological perspective. 2. Independently complete an epidemiological research project. 3. Demonstrate creativity and originality in contributing to the state of knowledge in epidemiology. 4. Critically assess epidemiology research proposals. A. Role as a Researcher At least one graduate level course appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with supervisor. None A. Role as a Researcher 1. Design and conduct a clinical epidemiology research project using appropriate methods. 2. Understand principles of meta-analysis and carry out a meta-analysis. 3 PhD competencies are in addition to or further development of the Masters level competencies. Revised July 2011 Page 3 of 5

4 CHS Graduate Student & in MSc PhD MSc Healthcare MSc Clinical expectancy. life table analysis regression analyses as there pertain to epidemiologic research 2. Demonstrate competency in designing and conducting a research project using epidemiologic methods. 3. Demonstrate a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of content as well as the specialized methods used within the thesis specialty area. B. Role as a Communicator Foundation Foundation D. Role as a Collaborator 1. In role of an epidemiologist as part 1: Use epidemiologic methods to produce results for evidence-based decision making. D. Role as a Collaborator D. Role as Collaborator 1. In role as infection prevention and control practitioner as part of a multi-disciplinary team, D. Role as a Collaborator Revised July 2011 Page 4 of 5

5 CHS Graduate Student & in MSc PhD MSc Healthcare MSc Clinical of a multi-disciplinary research team, elicit problems and issues frame problems in scientific terms advise on appropriate research methods advise on methods of data collection and analysis, including sampling and measurement issues, identification of effect measure modification and confounding, statistical analyses interpret findings. E. Role as a Research Project Foundation elicit problems and issues frame problems in scientific terms advise on appropriate research methods advise on methods of data collection and analysis, including statistical analyses interpret findings. - Potential Career Paths Graduates may collaborate in epidemiologic research and/or teach epidemiology. Graduates may conduct independent and collaborative epidemiologic research and/or teach epidemiology. Graduates may function as researchers, middle managers, and academic leaders in a hospital/ community setting. As researchers, graduates will apply scientific principles to the field of healthcare epidemiology as well as contribute to and participate in all phases of research in the field. Graduates may collaborate in clinical epidemiologic research and most will be practicing clinicians. Revised July 2011 Page 5 of 5