College Requirements to Be an Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists study and find solutions for disease outbreaks. There are two areas of specialization within the field of epidemiology: applied and research epidemiology. Applied epidemiologists work with government agencies; they find the causes of diseases and help control outbreaks. Research epidemiologists work in laboratories; they study disease formations and recommend preventive measures. The minimum education requirement for epidemiology careers is a master's or doctoral degree. Degrees in epidemiology are offered at schools of public health and medicine.
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Undergraduate Courses
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Undergraduate students who wish to enter the field of epidemiology can take foundational courses like the theory and principles of epidemiology. The course is designed to prepare students for advanced courses in the field and offers introductory concepts and terminologies that are used by epidemiologists. The course can be taken as an elective. It is appropriate for other fields in addition to epidemiology such as public health, medicine and related careers. In addition to receiving theoretical instructions, students evaluate case studies of diseases in different parts of the world.
Master's Degree
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A Master of Science degree in clinical epidemiology is designed to prepare students for careers in clinical research. Prospective students should have advanced degrees in medicine, nursing and other health-related fields. In addition to taking core courses, students can specialize in fields like bioethics, clinical trials, human genetics or pharmaco-epidemiology. Students who complete their coursework must take a qualifying examination and demonstrate their reasoning and quantitative skills as well as writing a formal thesis. Core course highlights include biostatistics, database management, introductory epidemiology and statistical methods.
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Doctoral Degree
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The general requirements for a Ph.D. degree in epidemiology include formal training and a dissertation research. Students receive advanced training in epidemiological principles and learn quantitative skills. In addition to taking general course requirements, doctoral candidates must specialize in a particular research field. Areas of concentration within the field of epidemiology include cardiovascular disease epidemiology, cancer epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology and psychiatric epidemiology. Ideal candidates for doctoral training in epidemiology are individuals with a master's degree in epidemiology and public health or other related fields such as sociology, psychology and social work.
Medical Degree
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Medical students with an interest in epidemiology can earn a dual degree as a medical doctor (MD) and Ph.D's. The program is designed specifically for medical students who seek careers as academics or clinical research investigators. The program runs for four-years and includes courses in clinical epidemiology, research and methodology and biostatistics. Candidates who complete the training will have a solid foundation in research techniques that are appropriate for clinical epidemiological investigations; medical students can apply their epidemiological knowledge to various medical specialty and sub-specialty fields.
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