Should the History of Epidemiology be Taught in Epidemiology Training Programs?

BACKGROUND:Currently, there is no evidence concerning the presence of historical content in the epidemiology curricula of the United States and abroad. Similarly, it is not known how epidemiologists view this topic in the context of master’s or doctoral level course work. METHODS:We attempted to fil...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.) Mass.), 2015-01, Vol.26 (1), p.133-135
Main Authors: Laskaris, Zoey, Morabia, Alfredo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude
Curriculum
Data Collection
Education, Public Health Professional - methods
Epidemiology - education
Humans
North America
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Summary:BACKGROUND:Currently, there is no evidence concerning the presence of historical content in the epidemiology curricula of the United States and abroad. Similarly, it is not known how epidemiologists view this topic in the context of master’s or doctoral level course work. METHODS:We attempted to fill these knowledge gaps with data from 2 online surveys—Survey I administered to persons in charge of all epidemiology training programs in North America and Survey II to epidemiologists practicing around the world. RESULTS:A substantial minority (39%) of graduate programs in epidemiology in the United States teach a course on the history of the field. In both surveys, the most common reasons selected for teaching such a course were “To build a sense of identity as an epidemiologist” and “As a tool for achieving a deeper understanding into specific methods and concepts.” CONCLUSION:The majority of respondents, from 63 countries, agreed that the history of epidemiology should be included in curricula for graduate students in epidemiology.
ISSN:1044-3983
1531-5487
DOI:10.1097/EDE.0000000000000211