Introduction to Epidemiology

Knowledge

After completing the course, you will be able to:

• Define key concepts in Epidemiology
• Summarize the measures used in epidemiology
• Explain the most commonly used epidemiological study designs
• Definitions of populations, samples and variables
• Relate types of variables and data analysis approaches
• Describe validity and reliability in epidemiology and how they relate to epidemiological errors (random and systematic errors)

Skills

After completing the course, you will be able to:

• Choose epidemiological study design relevant to the research question at hand
• Estimate an appropriate sample for your study
• Develop a data management and analysis plan based on study measures
• Compare and contrast between random and systematic errors
• Identify different types of systematic errors that can affect validity
• Make use of relevant statistical analysis to obtain epidemiologic measures of association
• Apply the methods learned in combined statistical and epidemiologic exercises

General Competences

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• critically evaluate the role of quantitative research within health and health services
• recognize the pros and cons (challenges) of quantitative designs
• reflect upon ethical and scientific standards of quantitative research

This course is only available for students at the following master programme:

• MFM2-INTHE
• MFM2-FHEP

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

The course consists of lectures and seminars. In the seminars, the students do exercises and assignments related to the course. During the course students will work in pre- assigned groups where they will develop a part of a research protocol. This work will form the basis of the group presentation (exam).

Compulsory attendance:

• It is compulsory to attend the first seminar in the course.
• 80% attendance is required in the remaining seminars. Note that some days will combine lectures and seminars for pedagogical reasons.

You must meet the compulsory attendance requirements to be eligible to take the exam.

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Oral group presentation.

You must meet the compulsory attendance requirements of the course to be eligible to take the exam.

Examination and grading at The Faculty of Medicine.

• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Resitting an examination

• Students at International Community Health must do their oral group presentation in English.
• Students at Folkehelsevitenskap og epidemiologi may do their oral group presentation in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English