European Association
of Schools of
Occupational Medicine
EASOM
Summer School 2006:
TEACHING PRACTICAL
OCCUPATIONAL
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Description of national situation
Current situation in
the Netherlands
Schools for occupational medicine
in the Netherlands
(1) Radboud University Nijmegen:
Dept. of Social Medicine [SGBO]
(2) Netherlands School of Public &
Occupational Health [NSPOH],
Amsterdam
Radboud University Nijmegen,
SGBO
Four-year curriculum
Theoretical part in 13 modules
Epidemiology is part of module
“Scientific research skills”
Second year, spread over six months
Nine course days
Radboud University Nijmegen,
SGBO
Contents of module “Scientific research skills” (9 days)
Obligatory elements:
•
statistics
•
epidemiology
•
research methodology & study design
•
evidence-based medicine
•
assignment: appraisal of scientific article +
presentation
•
conclusive test (three hours)
Radboud University Nijmegen,
SGBO
Contents of module “Scientific research skills” (9 days)
Facultative element:
•
a one-week training in literature search
Radboud University Nijmegen,
SGBO
Obligatory:
•
Book ‘Introduction to descriptive statistics’
•
Book ‘Epidemiology for occ physicians’
•
Book ‘Basics of methodology & techniques’
Recommended:
•
Book ‘Epidemiology in practice’
•
Book ‘Evidence-based medicine’
Radboud University Nijmegen,
SGBO
Conclusive [summative] test of module [3 hours]
Contents:
•
open questions
•
statistics: 20 MCQs & 2 open questions
•
epidemiology: case descriptions + questions
•
research design: what to choose in a specific
[given] situation.
Radboud University Nijmegen,
SGBO
Practical part: Own Research Project + Report
•
•
•
Manual & Protocol provided by institute
Literature search is part of research project
Logical order of chapters in report is emphasized
NSPOH, Amsterdam
Four-year curriculum
Theoretical part in 5 modules
Epidemiology is part of module #4:
“Evidence-based practice and quality of service”
Second year, spread over four months
Eight course days, of which five for epidemiology,
research models and evidence-based medicine
NSPOH, Amsterdam
Performance training: 3 x 3 hours
Issues:
•
analysis of sickness absence data
•
statistic & epidemiologic methods
•
study designs
NSPOH, Amsterdam
Facultative part: one course day
•
research methods, more in-depth
[is also offerred as a CPD programme]
NSPOH, Amsterdam
Practical part: research project + report, by 1 – 3
students
Total time 180 – 200 hours, of which 10 – 15 hours of
individual support by staff member
NSPOH, Amsterdam
CME / CPD programmes:
•
•
•
•
one day course about research methods
one day course introduction into evidence-based practice
3-days expert module about epidemiology & evidence-based
practice
15-days training course in research knowledge & skills
NSPOH, Amsterdam
General policy:
•
plans to integrate public & occupational health training
programmes
•
the curriculum of Master of Public Health includes a research
period of 4 months full time
•
there are plans to incorporate a similar research period in the
specialist training in occupational medicine.
Conclusions
•
Course time for training classical epidemiology has partly been
substituted by training evidence-based medicine.
•
Both approaches are closely interrelated, but there are clear
differences [epidemiology is inductive, while EBM is
deductive].
•
Separate training programmes with well-defined learning
objectives and summative tests are recommended.