TRACKS
CARDIOVASCULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY Dr. Josef Coresh, Director
The Cardiovascular Epidemiology track aims to develop creative and independent investigators who will be able to collaborate effectively with bench and applied scientists to improve cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment at both the clinical and population levels. The program offers both masters and doctoral degrees and houses a large NIH training program.
In addition to classes and departmental seminars, students are required or highly recommended to attend the following activities to strengthen their general knowledge of cardiovascular disease and critical review skills (see http://www.jhsph.edu/welchcenter for more information):
* Welch Center Research Seminar (Journal Club): Students and faculty critically review recent publications focusing on cardiovascular disease and clinical epidemiology. Registration for two terms as course 340.871 is required (four terms recommended). This activity prepares students for Part B of the Comprehensive Exam. (Tuesdays, 12:00-1:20 P.M.; Leader: Dr. Selvin)
* Developing Research Skills & Research in Progress: Presentations by students in the program. Attendance at this activity is required of all students in the concentration. (last Monday of the month, 12:15-1:15 P.M.; some Thursdays, 12:15-1:15 P.M.; Leaders: Drs. Bennett, Crum, and Greer)
* Clinical Research Grand Rounds at the Welch Center: Presentation and discussion of research by experts from inside or outside the Hopkins community (Wednesdays, 12:15-1:15 P.M.; Leaders: All Welch Center faculty members). Highly recommended for all students in the concentration.
The goals of the program can be effectively divided by year. First year students should master the material in the required courses and pass the comprehensive examination. A strong mastery of the fundamentals of epidemiology is critical to more advanced research. Students should get used to the rapid pace of the quarter system before making decisions about responsibilities other than class work. Exploration for a good match between the student and a faculty mentor should begin in the first academic year.
Second year students should work on selecting a research project with a faculty research mentor. The research mentor may be the student's advisor or another faculty member the student has identified in consultation with the advisor. The faculty mentor often provides expertise and access to data and resources necessary for the successful completion of the proposed research. Students are encouraged to participate in interest group meetings (Diabetes and Obesity, Kidney Disease Epidemiology, Methods and Ideas in Cardiovascular Epidemiology - “MICE”) or project related meetings.
Masters students should select a research topic by the end of the summer of the first year. Masters theses often involve analyses of existing data and can take the format of a publishable paper. The large number of existing cardiovascular studies greatly facilitates this process.
Although doctoral students should be engaged in defining a research question in their first year, they often take longer to select the actual thesis topic since the work is larger in scope and often requires both a good research idea, a credible plan for carrying out the work and the generation of new data. Ancillary projects to existing studies often provide a vehicle for students to conduct creative research while benefiting from existing data, infrastructure, and faculty expertise. Advanced doctoral students work on completion of their research and preparation of manuscripts for publication. Students often take the second year to complete more advanced courses in epidemiology and pursue their own specific areas of interest (e.g., biostatistics (MHS degree), policy, genetic epidemiology).
ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014
TRACKS
CARDIOVASCULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY
Required Coursework
First Term:
Course Title (credits) 550.860.82 Academic and Research Ethics (0) 340.751 Epidemiologic Methods 1 (5) 340.871* Welch Center Research Seminar (1)
140.621 Statistical Methods in Public Health I (4) OR 140.651 Methods in Biostatistics I (4)
340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
550.600.01 Responsible Conduct of Research (1) OR 306.665 Research Ethics and Integrity (3) (Third Term)
550.630** Public Health Biology (3) OR 260.600** Introduction to the Biomedical Sciences (4) (August)
Additional Doctoral Requirement
Course Title (credits) 340.863 Doctoral Seminars in Epidemiology (3) (Year 2) 340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
Second Term:
Course Title (credits) 340.645 Introduction to Clinical Trials (3) 340.752 Epidemiologic Methods 2 (5) 340.871* Welch Center Research Seminar (1) 340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
140.622 Statistical Methods in Public Health II (4) OR 140.652 Methods in Biostatistics II (4)
550.865.81++ Public Health Perspectives on Research (2) (internet-based course)
Additional Doctoral Requirement
Course Title (credits) 340.863 Doctoral Seminars in Epidemiology (3) (Year 2) 340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014
TRACKS
CARDIOVASCULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY
Third Term:
Course Title (credits) 340.607 Introduction to Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (4) 340.753 Epidemiologic Methods 3 (5) 340.871* Welch Center Research Seminar (1)
140.623 Statistical Methods in Public Health III (4) OR 140.653 Methods in Biostatistics III (4)
340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
306.665 Research Ethics and Integrity (3) OR 550.600.01 Responsible Conduct of Research (1) (First Term)
Additional Doctoral Requirement
340.863 Doctoral Seminars in Epidemiology (3) (Year 2) 340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
Fourth Term:
Course Title (credits) 340.803† Advanced Topics in Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (2) 340.855***† Biological Basis of Cardiovascular Disease (2) 340.871* Welch Center Research Seminar (1) 340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
140.624 Statistical Methods in Public Health IV (4) OR 140.654 Methods in Biostatistics IV (4)
Additional Doctoral Requirement
340.754+ Methodologic Challenges in Epidemiologic Research (5) 340.715 Problems in the Design of Epidemiologic Studies (4) (Grant Writing) (Year 2) 340.860 Current Topics in Epidemiologic Research (1)
* minimum of 2 terms required registration but 4 terms recommended ** this or a similar course required for students without a background in medicine or biology *** required for students without a background in medicine † Meets every other year + required for PhD & ScD students; optional for MHS, ScM, and DrPH students ++ waived for graduates of accredited MPH program who earned degree within 10 years of matriculation
ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014
TRACKS
CARDIOVASCULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY
Recommended Coursework:
First Term:
Course Title (credits) 340.660* Practical Skills in Conducting Research in Clinical Epidemiology and Investigation (3) 340.731 Principles of Genetic Epidemiology (4) 340.728* Advanced Methods for Design and Analysis of Cohort Studies (4) 140.641* Survival Analysis (3) 140.776* Statistical Computing (3)
Second Term:
Course Title (credits) 340.620 Principles of Clinical Epidemiology (2)
Third Term:
Course Title (credits) 340.606 Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (6) 340.730**† Assessment of Clinical Cardiovascular Disease (2) 140.655* Analysis of Longitudinal Data (4) 180.640 Molecular Epidemiology & Biomarkers in Public Health (4)
Fourth Term:
Course Title (credits) 340.616 Epidemiology of Aging (3) 340.644 Epidemiology of Diabetes and Obesity (2) 340.754+ Methodologic Challenges in Epidemiologic Research (5) 140.632 Introduction to the SAS Statistical Package (3)
* Usually not taken in the first year ** required for students without a medical background + required for PhD and ScD students; optional for MHS, ScM, and DrPH students † meets every other year
ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014