Public Health is the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts of society. Thus, whereas clinicians and general practitioners provide care for individuals, public health interventions are directed at whole populations.

The Master's programme starts in August with the renowned Erasmus Summer Programme (ESP) in quantitative medical research. This international Summer Programme provides a sound and up to date introduction to principles and methods of applied quantitative research in medicine and health care. Key areas of this 3-week programme are: biostatistics, clinical research, epidemiology, human genetics and health services and public health research. Apart from the Nihes participants, the ESP attracts health professionals with different backgrounds from around the world. You will attend a compulsory selection from this programme. In addition, the curriculum consists of Core Courses, Programme-Specific Courses , Skills Courses, a two-day visit to the Municipal Health Service Rotterdam and 15 -20 days of Elective Courses. In consultation with the Nihes programme coordinator, you may mix and match electives, permitting you to tailor the programme to your interests and professional needs.

March 1, each year

One-year, full-time € 13,000
Two-year, part-time € 14,300

Tel: +31 (0)10 703 8450
Fax: +31 (0)10 704 4680
E-mail: info@nihes.nl
Internet: http://www.nihes.nl/site/index.php?tab6

In recent years, the quantitative approach in clinical research and clinical practice has become increasingly important. Epidemiology, clinical decision analysis and biostatistics are the disciplines traditionally involved in the quantitative aspects of medical problems. In daily practice modern clinicians are increasingly expected to combine patient care with clinical research. There is a growing need for physicians who can both initiate research and participate in it.
Topics (selection): Principles of Research in Medicine; Clinical Decision Analysis; Methods of Public Health Research; Clinical Trials; health economics; Study Design; Clinical Epidemiology;
Modern Statistical Methods; epidemiologic research.

* You have a university Bachelor's degree or a relevant Master's degree from a school of medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine.
* You are a graduate from a discipline related to clinical medicine and public health (health sciences, nutrition, biology, pharmacy, environmental sciences, social sciences, economics, etc.).
* You have a good working command of the English language, both oral and written.

Improvements in population health and health equity in low- and middle-income countries require the evaluation of interventions and policies and an evidence based design of reforms. This Diploma Course provides the essential training in health and health services research, to support rational decision-making and sustainable improvements in health.

Course Objectives: The Course provides the essential training in health and health services research to support rational decision-making and sustainable improvements in health. It covers the assessment of population health, evaluation of interventions and policies, cost-effectiveness analysis, priority setting, and delivery and financing of health services. It aims to provide participants with knowledge and understanding of recent developments and modern research methods in these fields. Participants will be better equipped to critically evaluate and contribute to policy, practice and research.
Programme overview

* Medical treatment and patient care;
* Healthcare organisation, processes and logistics;
* Information and communication technology.

Course overview (selection): * Current Issues in Medical Informatics I (6 EC); * Knowledge representation & reasoning in medicine (6); * Advanced data analysis in medicine (6); * Biomedical information systems engineering (6); * Work placement I (6); * Biomedical Research & Evaluation Methodology (6 EC); * Organisational Settings of Healthcare (6); * Healthcare Logistics & Information Systems (6)m; * Information & Process Modelling in Healthcare (6)

Tel: +31 (0)20 566 4779
E-mail: studieadviseur@amc.uva.nl
Internet: Click here

The Erasmus Summer Programme emphasizes the understanding of principles and methods of quantitative medical research. In addition, the programme provides courses for those particularly interested in clinical medicine, general practice and public health, as well as for epidemiologists, geneticists and biostatisticians. Six main areas are covered by the Erasmus Summer Programme: biostatisticians, clinical research, epidemiology, health services research, human genetics and public health research. The first week provides introductory courses, the second week is devoted to methodology courses and the third week offers advanced courses. It is possible to enroll for 1, 2 or 3 weeks in a single discipline or to mix and match courses from different disciplines in order to design your own individual programme.

Mrs. Soeja de Groot
Erasmus MC, Het Congresbureau, Room Cb 238
PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)10 408 7669
Fax : +31 (0)10 408 9462
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: http://www.erasmussummerprogramme.nl/

The Erasmus Winter Programme emphasizes the understanding of principles and methods of clinical research. The programme focuses on the basics common to all research in clinical medicine.
In addition, the programme provides courses for those particularly interested in clinical trials, in drug safety research, and in decision making in clinical medicine.

Week 1: January 17 – 21, 2011: * Biostatistics for Clinicians; * Introduction to Clinical Research; * Intervention Research and Clinical Trials; * Pharmaco-epidemiology and Drug Safety (for detailed information see announcements below)
Week 2: January 24 – 28, 2011: * Regression Analysis for Clinicians; * Diagnostic Research;
* Prognosis Research; * Advanced Topics in Clinical Trials (for detailed information see announcements below)
Week 3: January 31 – February 4, 2011: * Principles of Epidemiologic Data-analysis;
* Survival Analysis for Clinicians; * Advanced Analysis of Prognosis Studies; * Advanced Topics in Decision Making in Medicine; * Introduction to Clinical and Public Health Genomics (for detailed information see announcements below).

Mrs. Soeja de Groot
Erasmus MC, Het Congresbureau, Room Cb 238
PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)10 408 7669
Fax : +31 (0)10 408 9462
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: http://www.erasmuswinterprogramme.nl/

The overall strengths and weaknesses of epidemiology and public health will be discussed and the important health effects of globalisation analysed. The main outcome of the course will be a better understanding of how epidemiology and public health can more effectively protect the health of disadvantaged populations in the new and changing global context.

The specific health issues to be discussed include: the tobacco pandemic and the rise of the obesity epidemic; strategies for chronic disease prevention and control; threats to health from infectious diseases using case examples such as HIV/AIDS and H1N1 Influenza; and the impact of global environmental change. Other examples of topical interest will be discussed as appropriate.
Suggested background reading:
- Beaglehole R, and Bonita R. Global Public Health: a Scorecard. Lancet 2008; 372:1988-96
- Globalization and Health. Kawachi I, Wamala. S (editors). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2007
- Global Public Health: a new era. Beaglehole R, Bonita R (editors). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003 (2nd edition available July 2009).
- Basic Epidemiology, 2nd edition, WHO 2006. Available at: Click here

Tel: +31 (0)10 408 7669
Fax : +31 (0)10 408 9462
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: http://www.nihes.nl/site/index.php?id=482.899.0.0.1.0&course_id=27#27

This course aims at introducing the basics of biostatistics, form an applied bio-medical perspective. Starting from some data sets collected to answer specific research questions, the objectives of statistical inference will be illustrated. These examples will also serve as key examples throughout the course.
Course in the Erasmus Winter Programm

Tel: +31 (0)10 704 36 69
Fax : +31 (0)10 704 47 37
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: Click here

This course will address clinical research from a quantitative viewpoint. It will discuss risk, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment and the main options in studying clinical questions. Course in the Erasmus Winter Programm

Tel: +31 (0)10 704 36 69
Fax : +31 (0)10 704 47 37
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: Click here

Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) is based to a large extent on the results of randomised clinical trials. During this course, which is primarily intended for clinicians and other health care professionals with an interest in EBM, participants will learn how to critically appraise reports on clinical trials in published major journals. Course in the Erasmus Winter Programm

Tel: +31 (0)10 704 36 69
Fax : +31 (0)10 704 47 37
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: Click here

Pharmaco-epidemiology plays a role of increasing importance in the field of drug safety and regulatory decision making. On the one hand, the introduction of computers into clinical practice facilitates the performance of large-scale cohort studies and nested case-control studies. On the other hand, it creates some problems regarding the quality of outcome and exposure assessment. Because the commercial consequences of pharmaco-epidemiological studies may be enormous, discussions in this area may be heated. Course in the Erasmus Winter Programm

Tel: +31 (0)10 704 36 69
Fax : +31 (0)10 704 47 37
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: Click here

This intermediate level course introduces the fundamental concepts of regression analysis. A unified approach to regression is taken, which emphasizes the common features of regression for quantitative and discrete response variables.

The course emphasizes the proper formulation and interpretation of regression models and uses several data examples from various health science fields to illustrate the concepts. Specific types of models illustrated by example will include linear regression, analysis of variance, logistic regression, relative risk regression, and Poisson regression. Course in the Erasmus Winter Programm

Tel: +31 (0)10 704 36 69
Fax : +31 (0)10 704 47 37
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: Click here

In this course we will discuss the principles of interpreting diagnostic test results and evaluating diagnostic tests.

We will first review basic concepts such as sensitivity, specificity, predictive probabilities, likelihood ratios, Bayes theorem and ROC curves. Then we will discuss possible forms of bias that can influence studies evaluating diagnostic test performance and a method to correct for verification bias. Diagnostic meta-analysis and summary ROC curves will be discussed.

Next we will focus on modeling issues in using decision analysis to model diagnostic decisions. Conditional independence and multivariable prediction rules will be explained. The week will end with determining the optimal operating point on the ROC curve and estimating target values for new diagnostic technology. Course in the Erasmus Winter Programm

Tel: +31 (0)10 704 36 69
Fax : +31 (0)10 704 47 37
E-mail: s.degroot@erasmusmc.n
Internet: Click here