Public Health &Epidemiology

September 18, 2012

WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH?• Focus…

• Maintaining and improving the health of the population through• Research• Intervention• Prevention

• Tools…» Epidemiology» Biostatistics» Policy» Social & Behavioral Science

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EXAMPLES• Infectious disease outbreaks• Drug safety• Clinical trial design and Analysis• Human Genetics

• mapping disease loci and their contribution to disease

• Identifying determinants of chronic diseases• Heart disease, cancer, respiratory,

neurological, psychiatric, injuries• Policy development and Analysis• Disease Surveillance• Health Services Administration• Clinical effectiveness• Many, many, more…

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SO…WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY DO AGAIN?• Epidemiology

o Combines math, statistics, and modeling to analyze the distribution and incidence of disease in the population, and to evaluate interventions

• Biostatisticso The theory and application of statistical science

to analyze public health problems and to further biomedical research

• Human datao Randomized and observational studieso Methods to obtain unbiased and precise results

• Areas of applicationo HIV and other infectious diseases, cancer, metagenomics,

health disparities, environmental exposures, psychiatry, basic biology

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WHAT DOES OUR RESEARCH LOOK LIKE?• Specific aims / Hypotheses

• Previous literature, public health concern• Design study

• Randomized trial, observational follow up, disease surveillance, simulation

• Collect data• surveys, measurements, biomarkers, etc.

• Data management• Correct for measurement error, impute missing

data, reduce data complexity (dimensional reduction)

• Statistical analysis of primary or secondary data• Models + assumptions• Quantify degree of uncertainty in results

• Work with clinicians and health professionals5

CAREER PATHS AND MORE INFORMATION…

Association of Schools of Public Health

• http://www.asph.org/• http://www.whatispublichealth.org/

• (Public health career info)

American Statistical Association• http://www.amstat.org/

• (Biostats career info)

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DEPARTMENTS AT HSPH• Biostatistics (SM, PhD)• Environmental Health (SM, SD, PhD, DPH)• Epidemiology (SM, SD, DPH)• Genetics and Complex Diseases* (PhD)• Global Health and Population (SM, SD, DPH)• Health Policy and Management (SM, PhD)• Immunology and Infectious Diseases* (PhD)• Nutrition* (SD, DPH, PhD)• Society, Human Development, and Health (SM, SD,

DPH) Master of Public Health (MPH, MD/MPH, JD/MPH)• Interdisciplinary Non-degree Programs

*partly or exclusively basic science

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HARVARD’S DEGREE PROGRAMS IN EPI• Master of Science

• 42.5 credit (one year)• No thesis required

• Master of Science • 80 credit (two years)• Thesis required

• Doctor of Science (ScD) / Doctor of Public Health (DPH)• 2 years coursework

• Epidemiological theory, study design and analysis, biostatistics, and concentration specific electives

• Written exam• Oral exam• Dissertation defense (3 publishable papers)

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Concentrations in Epidemiology• Cancer Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention• Cardiovascular Epidemiology• Clinical Epidemiology• Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology• Epidemiologic Methods• Epidemiology of Aging• Infectious Disease Epidemiology• Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology• Neuro-Psychiatric Epidemiology• Nutritional Epidemiology• Pharmarcoepidemiology• Reproductive, Perinatal, and Pediatric

Epidemiology9

WHAT’S HARVARD EPI LIKE?• Focus on theoretical aspects of

• Study design• Source of and adjustment for bias

• Particular emphasis on causal inference methods • developed at Harvard

• Particularly strong in cancer, genetics, nutrition, cardiovascular, pharmacoepidemiology, and epidemiologic methods development

• Recognized as a thought leader• pioneered novel study designs

• Expanding interest in global chronic diseases• Access to many of the longest running cohorts

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DEGREE PROGRAMS IN BIOSTATISTICS• PhD

• no prior advance degree required, trains students in development of methodology, consulting, and teaching

• MS (80 credits)• 50 credits in probability, statistical inference, survival

analysis, longitudinal analysis, clinical trials, statistical genetics, computing, computational biology

• MS (60 credits)• prepares students for applied research, 40 credits of

coursework, 20 credits of collaborative research practicum

• MS (42.5 credits)• requires previous master’s in a mathematical science

or doctorate in quantitative field

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APPLICATIONS, DEADLINES, FUNDING ETC.

• http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/• December 15th • Program specific entry requirements

• Epidemiology• Prior MPH, MS, or work experience• Strong background in biology and

mathematics• Biostatistics

• Required courses: calculus through multivariable integration, linear algebra

• Recommended courses: probability, statistics, advanced calculus, numerical analysis

• GRE, recommendations, etc.12

FUNDING• Biostatistics

• Guaranteed• Epidemiology

• No guarantee, start looking early• Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (2 years)• Office of Financial Aid

• University wide (varies, specific criteria)• Presidential (5 years)• Doctoral Scholarships (up to 5 years)• Loans and grants

• Departmental• Discretionary (for returning students)• NIH Training grants• Non-institutional awards (e.g. FDA)

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FUNDING• NIH

• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) • F-31 (offered by specific institutes• Fellowship to promote diversity related research• http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/

RuthKirschstein • Minority Component as well• IMSD program aids you in submitting a

competitive application• CDC

• Grants for Public Health Research Dissertation (R36)

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MIDAS CENTER FOR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE DYNAMICS• “Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study”

• Funded September 2009 by NIH• Hub for research, outreach and education

• Doctoral Funding• Complete funding for Master’s in ID Epi

• Tuition waiver• Salary

• Travel scholarships• Up to $2000 to travel to meet with faculty at

Harvard or attend conferences elsewhere• GRE prep course funding• Summer program in Epidemiology• http://ccdd.hsph.harvard.edu/opportunities

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• What is Infectious Disease Epi ?• Marc Lipsitch (Director) assisted CDC

and advised White House during H1N1 pandemic• Predict transmission rate• Predict course and severity of pandemic

• Determine effectiveness and long-term side-effects of HIV treatments

• Analyze spread of antibiotic resistance in hospitals

• Career paths in academia, policy, government or private industry

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• Student life in ID Epi• Large supportive community• Annual ID Epi Symposium

• Showcase student and staff work

• 2nd Thursdays casual networking function• Informally over pizza and beer

• Spring seminar lunch series• Scientists present work to students

• Weekly “Chalk Talks”• Students and faculty informally discuss their

research and provide feedback

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• ID Epi Website• www.idepi.hsph.harvard.edu

• MIDAS Center Website• www.ccdd.hsph.harvard.edu

• Point of Contact • for internships, applications, travel

scholarships, and more:• Felisa Nobles

• fnobles@hsph.harvard.edu • 617-432-1498

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SUMMER PROGRAMS• Intensive 4-week program designed to expose

students to quantitative methods for biological, environmental, and medical research

• Includes:• Coursework in biostatistics• Research project w/ faculty and grad student

mentor• GRE practice test• Lectures in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and

Society, Human Development, & Health• Opportunity to meet researches in other

public health fields• Application Deadline: February 15

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THANK YOU!• Questions?• Comments?• Concerns?• Contact Information:

• Felisa Nobles• fnobles@hsph.harvard.edu

• John Paulson• jpaulson@hsph.harvard.edu

• Admissions• admissions@hsph.harvard.edu

• Today’s Speaker: Molly Franke, ScD• molly_franke@hms.harvard.edu

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