Content of the course: A journal club is a group of individuals who meet regularly to evaluate critically recent articles in scientific literature. Sir William Osler established the first formal journal club at McGill University in 1875, and the tradition has persisted over the years in universities and medical centers around the world.

The purpose of this course is to provide grounds to discuss publications relevant to epidemiology, which would enable participants to keep up with current literature, and enhance their critical appraisal skills in this rapidly evolving science. Participants will practice presentation of research articles in English with guidance of a faculty mentor, who will assist in selecting articles for upcoming meetings, and will lead the discussion of selected article(s). An open debate during and after each presentation will take place, which will enrich participants’ learning experience as well as improve their critical and communication skills. The course will also provide participants with broad overview of the application of epidemiologic methods in different fields of epidemiologic research, based on practical examples from published literature.

Contents: Selected journal articles focusing on epidemiology, or have used epidemiological methods.

Modes of study: A series of presentations given by students on recent journal articles.

Prerequisites: Doctoral studentship in public health or epidemiology.

Teaching methods: Seminars, group assignments and readings

Passing the course: Participation in seminars and course assignments.                     

Course directors:

Pekka Nuorti ( Pekka.nuorti@uta.fi ) 

Anssi Auvinen (Anssi.auvinen@uta.fi)

Coordinator:

Omar Okasha (omar.okasha@uta.fi)

The course will provide basic understanding of gerontology, ageing and ageing research. In particular, the course addresses timely topic in gerontology and introduces different research methods, settings and projects.

8.2.2017 Prof. Marja Jylhä: Research on ageing: Approaches and methodology

15.2.2017 PhD student Jari Pirhonen: Autonomy of assisted living residents

22.2.2017 Doc. Kirsi Lumme-Sandt, prof. Clas-Håkan Nygård: Ageing and work

8.3.2017 Doc. Sari Stenholm: Health and functioning among old people

15.3.2016 Prof. Heli Valokivi, Univ. of Lapland: Care policy of old age                                               

22.3.2017  PhD Leena Forma: Health, economy and old people

Modes of study:

1 ECTS Lectures and learning diary

2 ECTS Lectures, learning diary and individual essey on one lecture topic

3 ECTS Lectures, learning diary and 2 individual esseys on lecture topics

Annual Meeting of doctoral students in health sciences is a chance to meet fellow students and teachers in an informal atmosphere. Getting to know each other and discussing about all kinds of aspect of doctoral studies is important part of the meeting. Lectures and group work will gain more knowledge of researcher’s skills. Topics vary every year. In AM 2017 topics are ‘ researcher’s social media CV’ and ‘ how to cope with anxieties caused by PhD work?’. 

E-form By April 12. 2017.

The course comprises a wide range of themes related to different health care systems, their governance and management. The lectures will cover themes:

• Organization of health care and multi-sectoral approach to health, options for health care financing and health care delivery
  
  
• The relationship between transnational actors (the EU, OECD, WHO) and healthcare policy
  
  
• Localisation of global policy ideas in the cotext of healthcare and health policy
  
  
• Health care reforms
  
  
• Healthcare policy trends and future challenges
  
  
• Healthcare markets

This course introduces the essential methods for modeling and interpreting survival data or, more generally, time-to-event data. Survival models are widely used in clinical, epidemiological and a variety of health related fields. General statistical concepts and methods discussed in this course include survival and hazard functions, Kaplan-Meier graphs, log-rank and related tests, Cox proportional hazards model, and the extended Cox model for time-varying covariates. Special topics of multistate models and competing risks will also be briefly considered.

Basic knowledge of biostatistics, regression models and statistical software (R) is necessary to succeed on the course. If you have no prior experience with R, one option to fulfill that gap is to take the CAST online introductory course (https://www.uta.fi/cast/_admin/index.php/events/Ronline.html).