BA/MHS Program Department of Epidemiology

Presentation Outline Brief Introduction to Epidemiology About the JHSPH Department of Epidemiology BA/MHS Program Selection Criteria BA/MHS Program Requirements/Logistics  As an undergraduate senior  As a full-time Master’s student Common Questions (and Answers!) Important Contact Information Helpful Online Resources

What is Epidemiology? The study of the distribution and determinants (causes) of disease in populations Largely an observational science, with the exception of clinical trials Requires significant use of statistics

What can Epidemiology do? Identify and confirm risk factors for disease Evaluate intervention strategies, new drugs and therapies Aid in developing effective disease control and prevention efforts Build a scientific foundation for public policy and clinical guidelines

Epidemiology in the Real World

JHSPH Department of Epidemiology The largest and one of the oldest Departments of Epidemiology in the world!  107 faculty members  75 Master’s students; 78 PhD students; 37 post-doctoral fellows; and 4 BA/MHS students Average time to complete MHS : 21 months Eight Academic Tracks :  Clinical & Cardiovascular Epi, Cancer Epi, Clinical Trials & Evidence Synthesis, Environmental Epi, Epidemiology of Aging, General Epi Methods, Genetic Epi, and Infectious Disease Epi

JHSPH Faculty Research Interests HIV/AIDS & STI: large cohort studies of at-risk groups Cardiovascular Disease: cohort and case-control studies of CVD Cancer: Community-based cohorts, hospital-based studies of prostate, breast, colon and other cancers Genetics: Autism, birth defects, asthma, kidney disease, eye diseases, etc. Clinical trials and systematic reviews

BA/MHS Program Eligibility Johns Hopkins Undergraduate students majoring in Public Health Studies Must have taken ‘Principles of Epidemiology’ course in Junior year; received a grade of B+ or higher Strong academic record, including social and natural science coursework, along with mathematics Interest in Epidemiology and Biostatistics; research experience desirable

Program Requirements, Part 1 As an Undergraduate: To fulfill undergraduate requirements, 15 credits must be taken at JHSPH, 8 of which are in a specific concentration of your choosing  Cannot be Pass/Fail  Cannot be internet-based courses or special study Up to 16 of the credits taken at JHSPH can ALSO be counted towards your MHS degree!

Program Requirements, Part 2 As a Master’s Student: The MHS degree program requires a total of 64 credits (16 of which you could already be done with!) All MHS students must take the following, in addition to other courses depending on your ‘track’:  Biostatistics Sequence (620 or 650 series); Epidemiologic Methods Sequence (750 series); Public Health Perspectives in Research; Research Ethics Must pass a written, two-part Comprehensive Exam in May of your first year as full-time MHS student Must submit publishable-quality thesis and present results at JHSPH Poster Session in order to graduate

Common Questions and Answers

Q1: Is this a five year program? It CAN be a five-year program, although the MHS degree in Epidemiology independent of the BA degree normally takes two years (21 months) One way to graduate in one year:  Take Biostatistics sequence in your senior year  Scope out a thesis advisor as a senior, begin researching a thesis topic the summer after you graduate  Take the Epidemiologic Methods sequence during your first year as a full-time MHS student, write the bulk of your thesis during the winter, third and fourth terms

Q2: What are benefits of this program? Short-Term:  No GRE or application fee required!  Early notification of graduate school acceptance  Potential for a 75% tuition-cut in your second year as a full-time MHS student (if you maintain a 3.0 GPA and pass Comprehensive Exams) Long-Term:  Early exposure to well-known and influential faculty  Classmates bring a broad spectrum of experiences (physicians, physicians-in-training, leaders in health departments and non-profit organizations)  Head start to the world ahead, whether that’s medical school, a PhD program, or a public-health focused career

Q3: What sorts of classes can I take? As a senior, you can:  Take Biostatistics (620 or 650 series)  Cherry-pick classes that seem interesting, and don’t be afraid to branch out of the Department of Epidemiology! Sample courses our department offers:  First Term: Epidemiology and the Public Health Impact of HIV and AIDS, Genetic Epidemiology  Second Term: Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Healthcare Epidemiology, Introduction to Clinical Trials, Pharmacoepidemiology  Third Term: Epidemiology and Natural History of Human Viral Infections, Introduction to Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology  Fourth Term: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, Epidemiology of Aging, Epidemiology of Diabetes and Obesity

Q4: What are certificate programs? Kind of like a “minor” – a specialized area of study to supplement your Epidemiology training Usually requires 18 credits of coursework  Specifics: Popular Certificates for Epidemiology students:  Adolescent Health  Community-Based Public Health  Health Disparities and Health Inequality  Maternal and Child Health  Vaccine Science and Policy

Q5: How do I apply? When:  Application Due: Spring of your Junior Year (by June 1)  Decision Notification: Early August Where:  Online Application, visit  Will need to create account What:  Transcripts, resume, personal statement, letters of recommendation

Contact Information Deputy Department Chair: Dr. Terri H.Beaty   Office: W6513 Academic Program Director: Ms. Fran Burman   Office: W6503 Current BA/MHS Students:  Graduated: Emily Faxon Christi O’Connor  Second year: Ruth Ann Burrows Adrian Cotarelo Susan Fallon Alison Simms  First year (seniors): Carolyn Drogt Keya Joshi Katarina Matilla Emily Nadelman Congratulations!

Helpful Internet Resources JHU Program in Public Health Studies (information about senior year requirements and BA/MHS program)  JHSPH Department of Epidemiology Academic Guide (information about MHS requirements, areas of concentration, etc.) o guide/ /ba-mhs-timeline.html guide/ /ba-mhs-timeline.html JHSPH Department of Epidemiology Homepage 