Identifying skills required of new epidemiologists: a content analysis of Canadian job postings and master's programs.

Introduction: The rise of emerging public health threats has increased the need for qualified epidemiologists in Canada. Our study aimed to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required of epidemiologists entering the workforce and determine whether these align with those taught in graduate epidemiology programs. Methods: An inductive content analysis of Canadian job postings from May to December 2023 containing the keyword "epidemiology" and requiring master's degrees in epidemiology or related fields was conducted to identify the KSAs required in the workforce. Inductive content analysis of Master of Science (MSc) program descriptions and core course descriptions was completed to discern skills gained through Canadian graduate epidemiology and public health programs. Results: Based on the 295 job postings analyzed, five KSA categories were identified: communication skills (n = 268, 90.8%), analytical skills (n = 267, 90.5%), soft skills (n = 254, 86.1%), research methodology (n = 217, 73.6%), and knowledge of epidemiological concepts (n = 170, 57.6%). Analysis of 18 MSc programs found that that all of them described analytical skills, research methodology, and epidemiological concepts within their curriculum. Communication skills were described in 94.4% (n = 17) of programs, while soft skills were mentioned in 50.0% (n = 9). However, only 66.7% (n = 12) of programs outlined learning objectives or specified the skills acquired from their programs in their descriptions. Conclusion: There was alignment between the needs of the Canadian epidemiology job market and MSc programs, particularly in analytical skills and research methodology. However, development of soft skills should be emphasized within graduate epidemiology programs to better prepare graduates for the job market. Future research should aim to develop competency statements for epidemiologists in training to ensure consistency across graduate programs and promote career readiness.

COVID-19 pandemic response and Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs in ECOWAS.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been persistent with a huge demand for human health resources which is a vital component of its preparedness and response. Globally, the public health workforce through field epidemiology and laboratory training programme (FELTP) has been instrumental to global health security. We determined the status of FELTP in the region and its contributions to the COVID-19 pandemic response in the ECOWAS region. We conducted a desk review, shared a questionnaire among member states and organized a two-day online regional consultative meeting on field epidemiology training on 30th-31st March 2022 during which there were presentations, group discussions and deliberations on the status and contribution of FETP during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected were analyzed in themes. All countries in the ECOWAS region had established at least one tier of FELTP, 11 (73.3%) had established two tiers of FELTP and only 3 (20.0%) had established all three tiers of the program. Despite the pandemic, the cumulative number of graduates increased from 2996 to 4271 frontline, 41 to 380 intermediate, and 409 to 802 for advanced FELTP between 2019 and 2022. However, the progress has been disproportionate across countries. The key activities supported through FELTP graduates included pandemic response coordination, surveillance, data collection/management, laboratory support, case management, risk communication, infection prevention and control, COVID-19 vaccination, and research. Despite improvements in the FELTP in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, there is a need for continuous stakeholder engagement for its implementation, resource mobilization for sustainability, and leveraging critical partnerships.

[Application of virtual simulation technology in epidemiology education: a systematic review].

Objective: To systematically review the progress, advantages, disadvantages, precautions and future trends of virtual simulation technology used in epidemiology teaching. Methods: A systematical literature retrieval was conducted by using PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and VIP Paper Check System with key words of epidemiology, teaching and virtual simulation, and the literatures included were screened and classified with narrative integration method. Chinese virtual simulation teaching platforms were used to select the literatures about existing epidemiology virtual simulation teaching projects for integration and analysis. Results: A total of 22 articles were included (7 in Chinese and 15 in English), most of which were teaching projects for students majoring in Public Health. We also found 24 national first-class courses and 21 provincial first-class courses in virtual simulation of epidemiology in China. The application of virtual simulation technology in epidemiology education is still in its infancy, and the interaction degree is mostly moderate. It is mainly used in three scenarios: improving the visualization degree of complex concepts and structures, training the operational skills through low-risk and low-cost virtual environment, serving as an effective supplement to the teaching of epidemiological field investigation and response to public health emergencies. In terms of effect, it is conducive to students' understanding of epidemiology related phenomena and principles, and has the advantages of breaking through time and space constraints, reducing teaching costs and risks, improving students' attention and satisfaction and so on. However, it also faces the lack of foundation in the initial stage, and some students have problems such as psychological and physiological discomfort. In the future, we need to optimize the development process, program design and so on. At the same time, we should conduct more in-depth research on cost calculation, effect evaluation and curriculum integration. Conclusions: The application of virtual simulation technology in epidemiology education is an important part of training high-level applied public health talents. We encourage to actively carry out virtual simulation teaching in epidemiology, and train public health talents with Chinese characteristics.

Too few epidemiologists in humanitarian crises: a critical gap that needs addressing. A new course organised by the Italian Association of Epidemiology

The current humanitarian crises in Ukraine and Gaza, along with the chronic crises, and the climate-related disasters, have exposed the limitations of the humanitarian system. Within these contexts, humanitarian organisations frequently struggle with collecting, analysing, interpreting, and utilising health data, due to the challenging environments in which they operate and funding constraints. It is precisely in these contexts that field epidemiology plays a crucial, but often overlooked role.Field epidemiologists face unique challenges, including rapidly changing conditions, poor-quality data, and biases. Despite these difficulties, accurate epidemiological data are essential for needs assessment, guidance on interventions, and advocacy. Conventional methods often need adaptation for crisis settings, and there are still gaps in measurement.This article discusses the role of epidemiology in such contexts, noting a shortage of trained 'humanitarian epidemiologists' and specialised training as major issues.To address these needs, the Italian Association of Epidemiology organised a course in early 2024 to enhance the epidemiological skills of staff working in humanitarian crises and introduce traditional epidemiologists to crisis-specific challenges. The course covered key concepts and methods of field epidemiology, emphasising the use of secondary health data. Its positive reception underscored the demand for such specialised training.Improving public health information collection and use in humanitarian crises is an ethical and practical necessity. Indeed, investing in field epidemiology and recognising its importance can enhance humanitarian interventions and better serve vulnerable populations.

Evidence-based coaching of core competencies in epidemiology, using the framework of randomized controlled trials: the Zurich approach.

Teaching epidemiological concepts in academic settings poses a challenge due to the intricate nature of the discipline as both a science and a practice. Whereas traditional classroom-based teaching methods are commonly employed, evidence suggests they may not be the most effective approach for fostering core competencies and skills required in real-life scientific work. In this article, we describe our process of transitioning from traditional classroom teaching of epidemiology towards practice-based coaching to convey epidemiological concepts to bachelor's and master's students in Biomedicine. We chose the framework of randomized controlled trials (RCT) since they offer a great opportunity to teach epidemiological concepts in a hands-on course. This practice-based course encompasses the entire life cycle of a study, allowing students to design and conduct a short-term experiment, analyse its data and prepare a scientific paper. We provide a comprehensive overview of the course structure, content, learning objectives and course evaluation, while also discussing the advantages and disadvantages of this innovative format. Our approach offers a promising alternative to classroom teaching by incorporating practical, hands-on experiences offering students a high level of independence and self-determination, as well as facilitation and coaching by faculty. It has the potential to be applied across diverse academic settings, providing students with valuable skills and competencies in epidemiology.

Success Of The Rollins Epidemiology Fellowship In Rebuilding Georgia's Epidemiologic Workforce.

Over the course of the past two decades, attrition within the US governmental public health workforce has passed concerning and become dire. The practice sector has struggled to recruit and retain new talent, despite the infusion of considerable federal investment in workforce expansion initiatives. In 2020, Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health partnered with the Georgia Department of Public Health to establish the Rollins Epidemiology Fellowship Program. Initially created to recruit and place early-career master of public health-level epidemiologists into Georgia's public health system for COVID-19 pandemic response, the two-year service-learning program has evolved into an effective and replicable model of direct academic involvement in strengthening the governmental public health workforce. Here we describe the program's structure and early results, spotlighting it for consideration by the federal government and other jurisdictions interested in directly engaging academia in efforts to revitalize the public health workforce.

Three things we learned along the way: lessons for training in psychiatric epidemiology.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and its associated mortality, morbidity, and deep social and economic impacts, was a global traumatic stressor that challenged population mental health and our de facto mental health care system in unprecedented ways. Yet, in many respects, this crisis is not new. Psychiatric epidemiologists have recognized for decades the need and unmet need of people in distress and the limits of the public mental health services in the United States. We argue that psychiatric epidemiologists have a critical role to play as we endeavor to address population mental health and draw attention to 3 areas of consideration: elevating population-based solutions; engaging equitably with lived experience; and interrogating recovery. Psychiatric epidemiology has a long history of both responding to and shaping our understanding of the relationships among psychiatric disorders and society through evolving methods and training, and the current sociohistorical moment again suggests that shifts in our practice can strengthen our field and its impact. This article is part of a Special Collection on Mental Health.

[Application and advancement of digital teaching materials in teaching epidemiology].

This study aims at examining the application and development of digital teaching materials in the field of epidemiology, encompassing both China and international contexts. The research involved conducting search on websites and literature databases to assess the status of digital teaching materials in epidemiology, nationally and internationally. At present, in China, digital teaching materials used in epidemiology are primarily presented in the form of printed books with added QR codes, providing teaching resources such as videos and exercises. However, issues with the level of interactivity have been identified. In foreign countries, with stronger emphasis placed on personalization, interactivity, and the use of rich media technologies in the digital teaching materials, epidemiologically. Enhanced digitization regarding materials and learning outcomes is achieved through features such as real-time notes, interactive animations, and quizzes. These approaches are considered worth considering for adoption. This study provides valuable insights for the digital transformation of epidemiology education.

Servicio Autónomo Instituto de Altos Estudios "Dr. Arnoldo Gabaldon"

Ente adscrito al Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Salud que ofrece programas de formación de posgrado, formación permanente y de interacción social para dar respuesta a las necesidades del Sistema Público Nacional de Salud, eventos edición de publicaciones, incluyendo el Boletin de Malariología y Salud Ambiental.

The Leaders in Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and Public Health (LEAP) Fellowship, a Novel Training Program in Public Health for Infectious Diseases Physicians.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic demonstrated a critical need for partnerships between practicing infectious diseases (ID) physicians and public health departments. The soon-to-launch combined ID and Epidemic Intelligence Service fellowship can only address a fraction of this need, and otherwise US ID training lacks development pathways for physicians aiming to make careers working with public health departments. The Leaders in Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and Public Health (LEAP) fellowship is a model compatible with the current training paradigm with a proven track record of developing careers of long-term collaboration. Established in 2017 by the ID Society of America, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Pediatric ID Society, and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, LEAP is a single-year in-place, structured training for senior trainees and early career ID physicians. In this viewpoint, we describe the LEAP fellowship, its outcomes, and how it could be adapted into ID training.

Creating "boots on the ground": addressing the shortage of field epidemiologists in the Philippines through intermediate-level training programmes.

Problem: As of 2022, only 49 graduates of the Philippines' Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) were employed by the Philippine Government, emphasizing the urgent need to increase the number of practicing field epidemiologists to better equip the country for public health emergencies. Context: The FETP-Intermediate Course (IC) curriculum is based mainly on the module of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that was incorporated into the Philippine context. It consists of five 1-2-week lecture series that provide participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to conduct job-relevant field projects. Individual projects are the centrepiece of the FETP-IC, requiring trainees to investigate outbreaks, design and develop protocols, conduct field data collection, manage data, analyse data, interpret data, write reports and deliver oral presentations. Action: To address the shortage of practicing field epidemiologists in the Philippines, a subnational initiative in Northern Luzon was implemented. Outcome: Within 3 years, the two FETP-IC subnational training programmes have produced 42 applied epidemiologists who will strengthen epidemiology and surveillance in their respective localities. As of February 2023, 92 studies have been conducted, including 39 outbreak investigations, 37 data quality analysis/process improvement projects, 10 epidemiological studies and six surveillance evaluations. Discussion: By training and deploying skilled epidemiologists to local health offices and hospitals, the programme is helping to improve the capacity of the health system to respond to public health threats and protect the health of the population. The programme's emphasis on practical training and real-world experience is an effective way to build a strong and sustainable epidemiological workforce.

Strengthening surveillance, disease detection, and outbreak response through Guinea-Bissau's Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program: a cross-sectional descriptive study.

Introduction: the goal of the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) - Frontline is to strengthen the country's surveillance capacity at the district level to prepare and respond to health emergencies, including outbreaks, by training a skilled frontline public health workforce. We describe the FETP - Frontline program, including implementation, structure, achievements, impact, and its role in improving the epidemiological workforce capacity of Guinea-Bissau. Methods: this cross-sectional descriptive study uses 2015-2019 program data collected through record reviews and historical narratives from FETP students and graduates. We generated descriptive summary statistics using the Guinea-Bissau's FETP-Frontline program database, student assignments, and investigation reports, after reviewing the FETP standardized curriculum and program guidelines. Results: since its inception in 2016, FETP Frontline has implemented 14 cohorts and trained 198 frontline surveillance officers. Program participants improved surveillance data quality, investigated 51 outbreaks at national and regional levels, and contributed to disease research and surveillance in 227 separate field investigations. Participants frequently responded to priority health emergencies, including clusters or outbreaks of Zika, microencephalies, dengue, yellow fever, anthrax, malaria, and tuberculosis. Conclusion: Guinea-Bissau's FETP - Frontline program provides a practical example of an effective strategy to strengthen health systems through a well-prepared workforce trained to quickly detect and respond to health threats.

Involvement and readiness of fellows from Papua New Guinea's Field Epidemiology Training Programme in the COVID-19 response, 2020-2021.

Problem: Fellows of the Papua New Guinea Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) were part of the national coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response. However, the specific activities and challenges experienced by fellows in the field were unknown. Context: The advanced FETP cohort commenced just before the COVID-19 pandemic and all fellows were involved in the response. The advanced fellows participating in this review represented a cross-section of the country's public health workforce. Action: A review was conducted to better understand the scope of activities undertaken by FETP fellows, identify the challenges experienced and assess how well the programme prepared fellows for their COVID-19 response roles. A facilitated discussion based on the World Health Organization COVID-19 intra-action review methodology and an online survey was conducted with advanced FETP fellows. Outcome: The fellows made important contributions to the national COVID-19 response by assuming leadership positions at all levels of government, leading training activities and applying core field epidemiology competencies in surveillance and response activities. The programme had prepared them well for the response, giving them the confidence and skills to undertake a diverse range of response roles. Discussion: The FETP review of the COVID-19 response in Papua New Guinea highlighted the role and influence of the fellows during the pandemic response. Fellows were able to apply core field epidemiology competencies across a range of roles. The recommendations derived from this review will be instructive for the FETP specifically and the COVID-19 response generally.

Breaking Research Silos and Stimulating "Innovation at the Edges" in Epidemiology.

Epidemiological training often requires specialization in a subdiscipline (e.g., pharmacoepidemiology, genetic epidemiology, social epidemiology, or infectious disease epidemiology). While specialization is necessary and beneficial, it comes at the cost of decreased awareness of scientific developments in other subdisciplines of epidemiology. In this commentary, we argue for the importance of promoting an exchange of ideas across seemingly disparate epidemiologic subdisciplines. Such an exchange can lead to invaluable opportunities to learn from and merge knowledge across subdisciplines. It can promote "innovation at the edges," a process of borrowing and transforming methods from one subdiscipline in order to develop something new and advance another subdiscipline. Further, we outline specific actionable steps at the researcher, institution, and professional society level that can promote such innovation.

Curso de Introducción a los principios y métodos epidemiológicos: Orientación Clínica y Orientación Crítica - Bloque de Formación Común 2022

Encuentro de presentación del curso, destinado a residentes de cualquier especialidad del Sistema de Residencias de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, cuyo fundamento es pensar a la epidemiología como "el estudio de la distribución y los determinantes de estados o eventos, (en particular de enfermedades) relacionados con la salud y la aplicación de esos estudios al control de enfermedades y otros problemas de salud". En este sentido y, a modo de introducción de la capacitación, Mario Rovere aborda los siguientes aspectos para la reflexión: dimensión individual - colectiva de la epidemiología, ¿por qué y para qué estudiamos epidemiología?, aportes a la clínica, vigilancia y pensamiento epidemiológico, su relevancia frente a los cambios constantes en los problemas de salud - pandemias visibles e invisibles. Luego, Alicia Lawrynowicz, coordinadora del curso, además de informar sobre cuestiones administrativas y formales de la capacitación, aclara que ésta constará de dos formaciones: Introducción a los Principios y Métodos Epidemiológicos: Orientación Epidemiología Clínica y una segunda con Orientación en Epidemiología Crítica. Sobre el primer curso los contenidos de los diferentes módulos serán: Módulo 0: Familiarización con la propuesta curso: Introducción a los principios y métodos epidemiológicos; Módulo 1: El enfoque epidemiológico de la salud y la enfermedad; Módulo 2: Descripción y búsqueda de las causas de la salud y enfermedad; Módulo 3: Principios básicos de la Epidemiología Clínica. El diagnóstico. En tanto que, en referencia a la Orientación en Epidemiología Crítica, su composición será: Módulo 0: Familiarización con la propuesta curso: Introducción a los principios y métodos epidemiológicos, Módulo 1: El enfoque epidemiológico de la salud y la enfermedad, Módulo 2: Descripción y búsqueda de las causas de la salud y enfermedad, Módulo 3: Bases conceptuales de la Epidemiología Crítica y Determinantes y determinaciones del P-S-E-A-C, Módulo 4: Desigualdades en salud. Espacio territorio.

Evaluation of the first two Frontline cohorts of the field epidemiology training program in Guinea, West Africa.

BACKGROUND: The 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa revealed weaknesses in the health systems of the three most heavily affected countries, including a shortage of public health professionals at the local level trained in surveillance and outbreak investigation. In response, the Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) was created by CDC in 2015 as a 3-month, accelerated training program in field epidemiology that specifically targets the district level. In Guinea, the first two FETP-Frontline cohorts were held from January to May, and from June to September 2017. Here, we report the results of a cross-sectional evaluation of these first two cohorts of FETP-Frontline in Guinea. METHODS: The evaluation was conducted in April 2018 and consisted of interviews with graduates, their supervisors, and directors of nearby health facilities, as well as direct observation of data reports and surveillance tools at health facilities. Interviews and site visits were conducted using standardized questionnaires and checklists. Qualitative data were coded under common themes and analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The evaluation revealed a significant perception of improvement in all assessed skills by the graduates, as well as high levels of self-reported involvement in key activities related to data collection, analysis, and reporting. Supervisors highlighted improvements to systematic and quality case and summary reporting as key benefits of the FETP-Frontline program. At the health facility level, staff reported the training had resulted in improvements to information sharing and case notifications. Reported barriers included lack of transportation, available support personnel, and other resources. Graduates and supervisors both emphasized the importance of continued and additional training to solidify and retain skills. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation demonstrated a strongly positive perceived benefit of the FETP-Frontline training on the professional activities of graduates as well as the overall surveillance system. However, efforts are needed to ensure greater gender equity and to recruit more junior trainee candidates for future cohorts. Moreover, although improvements to the surveillance system were observed concurrent with the completion of the two cohorts, the evaluation was not designed to directly measure impact on surveillance or response functions. Combined with the rapid implementation of FETP-Frontline around the world, this suggests an opportunity to develop standardized evaluation toolkits, which could incorporate metrics that would directly assess the impact of equitable field epidemiology workforce development on countries' abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats.