(odd years)

The objective of this course is to prepare students to function as effective, independent researchers in the fields of renal and urologic epidemiology by providing the students an understanding of how epidemiologic research can and has advanced the knowledge of diseases in treatments of renal and urologic medicine. The structure of the course consists of a lecture series, accompanying workshops, and student presentations. The goals of the course are to acquaint students with some of the classic literature in the fields of renal and urologic epidemiology; to use a body of literature to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of epidemiologic research designs as they have been applied to renal and urologic medicine; to teach advanced epidemiologic principles using a problem-based approach; to expose students to the rationale of topics studied by faculty in the CCEB and the adult and pediatric nephrology and urology divisions at Penn and CHOP; and to stimulate students interested in renal and urologic epidemiology so that they may develop independent research questions.

This course provides an in-depth presentation of advanced methodologic issues in conducting clinical epidemiologic research in the field of gastroenterology.

As infectious diseases are transmitted from one host to another, the dynamics of transmission in the population of hosts follow certain basic rules. If one knows and understands these rules, one can plan rational strategies to prevent or control infections. One of the principal tools of those interested in public health interventions to control or ameliorate infectious diseases is the mathematical model. A model is just a means of representing and manipulating something that would not otherwise be accessible. This elective course provides students with the opportunity to construct models of the transmission of infectious diseases and to use these models to plan or compare disease control strategies. The course is predicated upon the notion that the act of building a mathematical model of disease transmission is often the very best way of understanding what is going on. This understanding will be further refined by the examination of more complicated and sophisticated model structures as they appear in the recent published literature.