A E Cs Applied Epidemiology Competencies Competencies for Applied Epidemiologists in Governmental Public Health Agencies (AECs) Partner organizations participating in the development of these competencies: CDC/CSTE Competencies for Applied Epidemiologists in Governmental Public Health Agencies I. Skill Domain—Assessment and Analysis Tier 3a: Senior-Level Epidemiologist: Tier 3b: Senior Scientist/ Tier 1: Entry-Level or Basic Epidemiologist Tier 2: Mid-Level Epidemiologist Supervisor and/or Manager Subject Area Expert A. Recognize public health problems A. Identify public health problems A. Ensure identification of public A. Validate identification of public pertinent to the population pertinent to the population health problems pertinent to the health problems pertinent to the population population 1. Recognize the existence of a public 1. Use critical thinking to determine 1. Ensure that critical thinking is used to 1. Synthesize key findings from the health problem whether a public health problem exists determine whether a public health critical thinking process to determine problem exists whether a public health problem exists a. List relevant data and information a. Identify relevant data and a. Validate the relevance of data and a. Use relevant data and information sources within and outside the public information sources within and information sources within and sources within and outside the public health system outside the public health system outside the public health system health system b. Seek assistance synthesizing existing b. Synthesize existing data and b. Verify the accuracy of expected and b. Synthesize existing data and data and information into a information into a determination of observed numbers of cases or information into a determination of determination of expected and expected and observed numbers of outcomes in a population expected and observed numbers of observed numbers of cases or cases or outcomes in a population c. Ensure the accuracy of determined cases or outcomes in a population outcomes in a population c. Determine threshold values (e.g., threshold values (e.g., baseline c. Validate the calculated threshold c. Seek assistance in determining baseline disease burden, prevalence disease burden, prevalence of risk values (e.g., baseline disease burden, threshold values (e.g., baseline of risk behaviors) for public health behaviors) for public health action prevalence of risk behaviors) for disease burden, prevalence of risk action d. Verify the completeness and public health action behaviors) for public health action d. Conduct a thorough search of the accuracy of searches of literature and d. Synthesize results of searches of the d. N/A scientific literature and public health public health databases scientific literature and public health e. N/A databases using search engines and e. Verify population-based health risks databases f. N/A methods relevant to specific f. Decide whether to obtain expertise e. Verify population-based health risks problems outside the agency to assist in f. Determine whether additional e. Quantify population-based health decision-making outside expertise is needed to assist risks in decision-making f. N/A 2. N/A 2. Articulate the need for further 2. Decide whether to conduct further 2. Evaluate need for further investigation investigation or other public health investigation or other public health or other public health action on the action on the basis of results of action on the basis of results of basis of results of literature review and literature review and assessment of literature review and assessment of assessment of current data current data current data 3. Collaborate with others inside and 3. Collaborate with others inside and 3. Lead collaborations with others inside 3. Lead collaborations with others inside outside the agency to identify the outside the agency to identify the and outside the agency to identify the and outside the agency to identify the problem problem and form recommendations problem and form recommendations problem and form recommendations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists February 2008 version 1.2 1 CDC/CSTE Competencies for Applied Epidemiologists in Governmental Public Health Agencies I. Skill Domain—Assessment and Analysis Tier 3a: Senior-Level Epidemiologist: Tier 3b: Senior Scientist/ Tier 1: Entry-Level or Basic Epidemiologist Tier 2: Mid-Level Epidemiologist Supervisor and/or Manager Subject Area Expert B. Conduct surveillance activities B. Conduct surveillance activities B. Oversee surveillance activities B. Organize surveillance 1. N/A 1. Design surveillance for the particular 1. Approve surveillance for the particular 1. Evaluate validity of conducting public health issue under consideration public health issue under consideration surveillance for the particular public health issue under consideration a. N/A a. Identify types of surveillance a. Examine potential surveillance a. Examine types of surveillance b. N/A methods for specific public health methods for specific public health methods for specific public health c. N/A problems problems problems d. N/A b. Identify information system(s) to b. Approve information system(s) to b. Recommend information system(s) e. N/A support surveillance systems support surveillance systems to support surveillance systems c. Recommend types of surveillance c. Decide on types of surveillance c. Determine type of surveillance systems for specific public health systems for specific public health systems for specific public health problems problems problems d. N/A d. Review anticipated cost/benefit of d. N/A e. Identify additional burden to public initiating a new surveillance system e. Evaluate additional burden to public health system and reporting entity e. Decide whether to impose the health system and reporting entity anticipated to result from the additional burden to public health anticipated to result from the proposed surveillance system system and reporting entity that is proposed surveillance system anticipated to result from the proposed surveillance system 2. Identify surveillance data needs 2. Identify surveillance data needs 2. Decide on surveillance data needs 2. Evaluate surveillance data needs a. Create case definition(s) based on a. Create case definition(s) based on a. Verify case definition(s) based on a. Evaluate case definition(s) based on person, place, and time person, place, and time person, place, and time person, place, and time b. N/A b. Describe sources, quality, and b. Decide on sources of surveillance b. Evaluate sources, quality, and c. N/A limitations of surveillance data data limitations of surveillance data d. N/A c. Define the data elements to be c. N/A c. Assess the adequacy of the data e. N/A collected or reported d. Decide on mechanisms to transfer elements to be collected or reported f. N/A d. Identify mechanisms to transfer data data from source to public health d. Assess mechanisms to transfer data g. Recognize potential uses of data to from source to public health agency agency from source to public health agency inform surveillance system e. Define timeliness required for data e. Decide on acceptable timeliness for e. Evaluate timeliness requirements for h. N/A collection data collection and frequency for data collection f. Determine frequency of reporting reporting f. Assess frequency of reporting g. Describe potential uses of data to f. N/A g. Create surveillance system design on inform surveillance system design g. Decide on surveillance system the basis of potential uses of data h. Define the functional requirements design h. Assess the functional requirements of the supporting information system h. Approve the functional requirements of the information system of the supporting information system Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists February 2008 version 1.2 2 CDC/CSTE Competencies for Applied Epidemiologists in Governmental Public Health Agencies I. Skill Domain—Assessment and Analysis Tier 3a: Senior-Level Epidemiologist: Tier 3b: Senior Scientist/ Tier 1: Entry-Level or Basic Epidemiologist Tier 2: Mid-Level Epidemiologist Supervisor and/or Manager Subject Area Expert 3. Implement new or revise existing 3. Implement new or revise existing 3. Supervise or manage implementation of 3. Implement new or revise existing surveillance systems surveillance systems new or revision of existing surveillance surveillance systems systems a. Define objectives and uses of a. Define objectives and uses of a. Approve objectives and uses of a. Develop guidelines for objectives surveillance system surveillance system surveillance system and uses of surveillance systems b. Test data collection, data storage, b. Test data collection, data storage, b. Validate data collection, data b. Validate data collection, data and analytical methods as directed and analytical methods storage, and analytical methods storage, and analytical methods c. Assist in creating working c. Create working surveillance system c. N/A c. Create working surveillance system surveillance system d. Verify that data collection occurs d. Verify that data collection occurs d. Assess performance of data d. Collect data for verification of the according to the defined surveillance according to the defined surveillance collection systems against the defined surveillance system system parameters (e.g., timeliness, system parameters (e.g., timeliness, defined surveillance system