Competencies and Learning Objectives for Epidemiology
| Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Describe population patterns of health-related risk factors and health-related outcomes in terms of person, place, and time | EPID600, EPID602 |
| 2 | Compare the relative strengths and weaknesses of common epidemiologic study designs (e.g., cross-sectional, cohort, case-control, randomized experiments) | EPID600, EPID602 |
| 3 | Interpret the impact of bias, confounding, and effect modification on causal inference in epidemiologic research | EPID600, EPID602 |
| 4 | Apply core aspects of field methods in epidemiology (e.g., survey design, sampling and power, surveillance) | EPID642, EPID643 |
| 5 | Critically evaluate epidemiological findings from published research studies | EPID600 |
| Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explain the history and key initiatives of global health, how health and development strategies interact, and the role of cross-sector organizations in global health governance and practice | EPID506 |
| 2 | Utilize health data from low- and middle-income countries to assess the global burden of disease, associated risk factors and health trends, and scope and limitations of available data | EPID506 |
| 3 | Apply the steps in developing research infrastructure for population health studies in low- and middle-income countries, including consideration of local ethics and IRB review | EPID506, EPID664 |
| 4 | Develop strategies and capacity for resolving problems that arise when conducting epidemiology studies in low- and middle-income countries | EPID664, EPID665 |
| 5 | Demonstrate contextual expertise in at least one country/region including knowledge of the structure of health systems and the public health infrastructure, as well as major public health intervention programs | EPID665, EPID506 |
| Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demonstrate sterile technique and an understanding of fundamental lab safety measures | EPID504 |
| 2 | Evaluate the use of different molecular tools in an outbreak investigation | EPID582 |
| 3 | Appropriately interpret the results of a molecular measure used in an epidemiologic study | EPID582 |
| 4 | Apply epidemiologic principles to the design and implementation of interventions in a healthcare setting | EPID680 |
| 5 | Apply principles of antibiotic stewardship | EPID680 |
| Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explain the relevant biological and behavioral mechanisms that influence human exposures to and health effects of environmental and occupational stressors | EHS602 |
| 2 | Design an epidemiologic study of an environmental or occupational factor and a health outcome that tests one or more specific hypotheses | EPID608, EHS608 |
| 3 | Apply appropriate methods for collecting primary and/or secondary occupational and environmental exposure data and health outcomes for original analysis | EPID601 |
| 4 | Interpret epidemiologic results from higher-order biostatistical techniques applied to these data, such as linear regression, logistic regression, mixed effects models, and graphic techniques | EHS675 |
| 5 | Communicate environmental or occupational epidemiological findings in writing using standards of peer-reviewed journals, including descriptions of design, results, and interpretation | EPID531 |
| Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of study designs (e.g., cross-sectional, cohort, case-control, randomized experiments) and the appropriate measure of association for a given study design | EPID600 |
| 2 | Communicate clinical or translational research findings to a medical audience | INTMED605 |
| 3 | Analyze research data and interpret these results from a population health or clinical-translational perspective | EPID602, BIOSTAT522 |
| 4 | Demonstrate knowledge of regulatory requirements for clinical research | PHARM640, PHARM647 |
| 5 | Describe the causes of random and non-random error in research studies, including information bias, selection bias, and confounding | EPID600 |
| Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Develop new research hypotheses informed by a critical evaluation of gaps in the literature | Prospectus Defense |
| 2 | Evaluate epidemiological study designs and advanced epidemiological methods, and select the most appropriate method to address a specific study question | EPID811, EPID824, Comprehensive Exam |
| 3 | Demonstrate a thorough understanding of causal inference, sources of bias, and methods to improve the validity of epidemiologic studies | EPID811, EPID824, Comprehensive Exam |
| 4 | Develop a research project that addresses an important population health or clinical question, using appropriate epidemiologic methods | Prospectus Defense |
| 5 | Prepare oral and written presentations that synthesize a substantive area of epidemiology and justify dissertation research products | Dissertation and Defense |