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
• [email protected] • 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• [email protected]
• John Paulson• [email protected]
• Admissions• [email protected]
• Today’s Speaker: Molly Franke, ScD• [email protected]
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