Public Health &Epidemiology

1. Public Health &Epidemiology September 18, 2012

2. What is Public Health? • Focus… • Maintaining and improving the health of the population through • Research • Intervention • Prevention • Tools… • Epidemiology • Biostatistics • Policy • Social & Behavioral Science

3. 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…

4. So…what do you actually do again? • Epidemiology • Combines math, statistics, and modeling to analyze the distribution and incidence of disease in the population, and to evaluate interventions • Biostatistics • The theory and application of statistical science to analyze public health problems and to further biomedical research • Human data • Randomized and observational studies • Methods to obtain unbiased and precise results • Areas of application • HIV and other infectious diseases, cancer, metagenomics, health disparities, environmental exposures, psychiatry, basic biology

5. 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 professionals

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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 Epidemiology

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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)

14. 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)

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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