Courses

Table 1. Courses delivered at the DPM.

Epidemiology and Biostatistics	Year I Semester 1 Basic Epidemiology Basic biostatistics Health service management Environmental health Health education	Year I Semester 1I Observational studies Experimental studies Clinical trials Clinical epidemiology Generalized linear models Categorical data analysis Demography & Survival analysis	Year II Semester 1 Research methods   Year II Semester 1I Thesis Research
Field Epidemiology	Year I Semester 1 Basic Epidemiology Basic biostatistics Data Mgt and Software Field Epidemiology Surveillance & epidemiology of priority diseases	Year I Semester 1I Public health methods & bio safety Teaching and Mentoring Communication & Scientific writing Residency I( Field work)	Year II Semester 1 Advanced epidemiology Health systems management and leadership Disaster management Research methods   Year II Semester 1I Residency II(Field work)
PhD in Epidemiology	Year I Semester 1 Int to Phlosophy Health care ethics Adv quantitative methods Special topics in epidemiology   Year I Semester 1I Seminar on special topics I Thesis report I	Year II Semester 1 Seminar on special topics II Thesis report II Thesis research II   Year II Semester 1I Seminar on special topics III Thesis report III Thesis research III	Year III Research Thesis

 

The demand for epidemiology and biostatistics courses across the College of Health Sciences from undergraduate to post-graduate programs is enormous. Thus there are many courses specifically epidemiology, biostatistics and research methods delivered by the DPM for master and PhD students from another program like Physiology, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Nursing, and Medical Laboratory Technology and clinical residents in Dermatology, Neurology, Emergency medicine and Family medicine, depending on their respective curriculum.

Admission Requirements for MPH in epidemiology track

Prospective candidates need to have an MD in medicine or at least a bachelor degree in a health related profession (public health, nursing, environmental health or medical laboratory technology).  In addition, they had to fulfill the requirements of the Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies for admission. Admission into the Program involves an examination administered by the Department of Community Health. The admission examination aimed at evaluating the candidates’ academic and attitudinal preparation to pursue a graduate program.

Admission Requirements for MPH in field epidemiology

The following shall be eligible for registration for the Master of Public Health in Field

Epidemiology:-

1. First degree holder in health and health related disciplines (health officer, nurse, medical doctor, environmental health officer, laboratory technology and

biological science with public health services)

2. Candidates must be available full time for formal training, field work and related

MoH activities.

Candidates must have a support letter from MoH or RHB.

Admission into the Program involves an examination administered and recommendation by the selection committee. The admission examination and interview aim at evaluating each candidate’s academic and attitudinal preparation to pursue a graduate program and undertake future assignments.

 Admission Requirements for PhD in epidemiology

About 3-5 candidates are accepted into the PhD Program each year depending on the availability of resources to cover the whole training expenses. Funding may be by the government or any other organization. The following list summarizes the revised admission criteria currently in use:

1. Prospective candidates must have at least a Master’s degree in Public Health or a related field with master’s thesis graded as good or above.
2.  Admission into the Program involves submission of a viable doctoral study plan prepared by the prospective candidate.
3. An interview will be administered by the Department. The admission interview aims at evaluating the candidates’ academic potential, work experience and attitudinal preparation to pursue a postgraduate program at the doctoral level.
4. Proof (in the form of a letter) of sustainable financial support and research funding covering the whole doctoral program must be presented unless the Department agrees for a fellowship post sponsored directly through it.
5. At least one advisor must be appointed from the Department.

Letters of recommendation from three faculties must be presented

Academic Programs

The DPM is organized in to four units namely, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health and Behavioral Health Units. The units are headed by unit heads. All units have involved in MPH training and advising. The DPM has an MPH program with epidemiology track and runs the Field Epidemiology and Training Program (FETP) and PhD program in epidemiology track. The programs leading to MPH in Epidemiology and Field Epidemiology are offered for two years, while the program leading to PhD in Public Health with emphasis in epidemiology is offered for 3-5 years, and is designed for students with strong skill in computation.

Currently, the DPM has about 51 MPH and 10 PhD students pursuing graduate studies in epidemiology at the SPH (Table 2).

Current No. of students in MPH and PhD programs

 Seminars & conferences (if any)

Table 3. Current No. of students in MPH and PhD programs

Program	Year of study	No of students
Epidemiology track (23)	Year I	13
	Year II	10
Field Epidemiology (28)	Year I	15
	Year II	13
PhD (10)	Year I	3
	Year II	3
	Year III	4

Descriptions

MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics Track

The general objective is to develop specialized professionals in epidemiology who are of high caliber and more academically oriented, who can serve the universities, research institutes, and government and non-governmental organizations engaged in disease investigations as well as health program monitoring and evaluation.

The program specifically aims a) To enable the graduate to recognize and understand the epidemiologic and bio-statistical approach in defining and estimating the occurrence of morbidity, mortality and other health related phenomena in human populations; b) To enable the graduate to understand the types, strengths and limitations of epidemiological study designs including the interpretation of epidemiological information; c) To enable the graduate to acquire epidemiologic as well as statistical tools for researching and analyzing issues of environmental health, pollution and sanitation; d) To enable the graduate to acquire tools of analyzing, monitoring and evaluating health programs, projects and related policies; e) To enable the graduate to acquire a broad outlook into the ecology and etiology of diseases; as well as the methods of assessing and intervening to prevent, treat and control them; f) To enable graduate to acquire practical skills in planning, implementing and reporting health research using both qualitative and quantitative research methods; g) To use common statistical software packages so as to design and analyze public health data; h) To get acquainted  with demographic methods and analysis; and, i) To understand and interpret health service statistics including hospital utilization rates.

MPH in Field Epidemiology

MPH in Field Epidemiology, also named as Field Epidemiology Training Program (EFETP) is a specialty program Launched in 2009 as a joint venture between  AAU-SPH and  FMOH. It is a competency-based training and service program in applied epidemiology and public health that builds the capacity to strengthen the surveillance and response system in countries where they are implemented.

 

The goals of the program are to strengthen the Ethiopian public health system by contributing to the development of a robust disease surveillance system, effective and timely acute public health event detection and response (including outbreak detection and response), capacity in field epidemiology and public health laboratory, evidence-based decision making for public health practice and reduction in morbidity and mortality due to priority diseases.

Specific program objectives include a) To strengthen public health capacity by developing a cadre of health professionals with advanced skills in applied epidemiology, b) To strengthen national and regional capacity to respond to public health emergencies such as outbreaks, natural disasters, and other unusual public health events including those that could be a result of chemical or biological terrorism, c) To strengthen national surveillance systems, d) To strengthen laboratory participation in surveillance and field investigations, e) To improve communications and networking of public health practitioners and researchers in the country and throughout the region, and f) To contribute to research activities on priority public health problems

As trainees successfully completing the EFETP, they are expected to actively provide public health services to the community in which they are working. These broad service areas include: emergency preparedness and response; surveillance and health information systems; integration of laboratory and epidemiology services; public health assessment and interventions; and monitoring and evaluation.

PhD in Epidemiology

The objective of PhD in epidemiology training is to prepare high-level professionals that are essential for policy development and analysis, teaching in graduate public health training programs, and capable of designing and performing independent researcher that are relevant to direct policy, planning and implementation of health related interventions.

1. To prepare those who demonstrate the communications skills necessary to provide effective leadership in public health policy and practice at the national, state, and local levels to improve public health practice within the community and other agencies.
2. To prepare public health leaders capable of applying critical thinking and rigorous research methods to the complex practical problems facing practitioners and policy-makers in public health practice;
3. Professionals with skills to provide the leadership to expand and strengthen the national and global public health systems;
4. Analysts with knowledge and critical thinking skills to synthesize and translate the science-base to public health practice in general and to their specific area of specialization;
5. Managers with demonstrate ability to design, conduct, and act on assessments and evaluations of public health problems and issues, and to provide leadership in policy development and assurance; and
6. Professionals who are able to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding that public health issues are embedded in political, socioeconomic, and historical issues).