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COURSE
DESCRIPTIONS
*All course
offerings are contingent upon adequate student enrollment.
PMCH 6011
1-9 credits
COMMUNITY HEALTH
RESEARCH
This course allows
the student, under faculty guidance, to engage in a limited research
project unrelated to his or her thesis or dissertation, but concerned
with preventive medicine or community health. Credit and hours to be
arranged. Terms offered: I, II, III; Year offered: Annually; Instructor:
Graduate Advisor.
PMCH 6033
1-9 credits
CLINICAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
The objectives of
this course are to acquaint Clinical Science graduate students with the
research activities of individual faculty members and provide
opportunities to practice and master research skills and competencies.
This course allows the student to engage in a limited research project
in clinical and translational science, as broadly defined, that is
unrelated to his or her planned thesis or dissertation. The research
topic will relate to the student's individual educational needs, and
must be approved by the student’s academic advisory committee. A GSBS
faculty member must agree to supervise the research and evaluate the
performance of the student. Grading is based on accomplishments during
the course and an end-of-semester research report. Credit may range
from 1-9 hours, based upon time applicable to work on the clinical
research project and must be specified at the time of course
registration. A written research plan that specifies an identified
mentor and Instructor consent are required for enrollment. Terms
offered: I, II, III; Year offered: Annually; Instructor: Karl Anderson
and faculty.
PMCH 6056
1-4 credits
TOPICS IN
BIOSTATISTICS
This is a reading
course for students interested in particular areas of Biostatistics.
The course changes from year to year depending on the needs of the
individual students. The course will review material on graphical
methods in categorical data analysis and other areas which include
structural equations models and survey sampling. The student is
evaluated with written papers and oral examinations on a weekly basis.
Credit and hours to be arranged. Terms offered: I, II, III; Year
offered: Annually; Instructor: D. Freeman, E. Whorton, J. Grady, H.
Bunce.
PMCH 6077
3-6 credits
RESEARCH PRACTICUM
IN SOCIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
This course is
designed to provide the student an opportunity to gain practical
experience in the design and/or implementation of research. A student
may choose to do a practicum as part of an ongoing faculty research
project or as an independent experience in a community or institutional
setting. Selection of the research topic will depend on individual needs
of a student and must be approved by the student’s academic advisory
committee. A faculty member will agree to supervise the practicum. Terms
offered: I, II, III; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Conference
or Discussion 3-6; Instructor: SMS Faculty.
PMCH 6097
1-9 credits
RESEARCH
This course is
designed to afford the student the opportunity to develop a thesis or
dissertation proposal under faculty guidance. The proposal development
may involve a literature search, preliminary experimentation, or a pilot
field study. The research would be preliminary but relevant to the
thesis or dissertation. Credit and hours to be arranged. Teaching
technique is tutorial in nature. Terms offered: I, II, III; Year
offered: Annually; Instructor: Graduate Advisor.
PMCH 6098
3-9 credits
THESIS
Formal preparation
and completion of the thesis for the Master of Science degree under the
direction of the student supervisory committee. Prerequisite: Admission
to candidacy for the master's degree; Terms offered: I, II, III; Year
offered: Annually; Students registering for Thesis are expected to
register for a total of nine credit hours each term; Instructor:
Graduate Advisor.
PMCH 6099
3-9 credits
DISSERTATION
Formal preparation
and completion of the dissertation for the Doctor of Philosophy degree
under the direction of the student's supervisory committee.
Prerequisite: Admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree; Terms
offered: I, II, III; Year offered: Annually; Instructor: Graduate
Advisor. Students registering for dissertation are expected to register
for a total of nine credit hours each term.
PMCH 6133
1 credit
INTRODUCTION TO THE DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS
This course provides
students an introduction to the design and analysis of experiments, and
introduces a variety of experimental designs that are commonly used in
biomedical research. Those designs include the completely randomized
design, randomized block design, split-plot design, factorial
experiment, and experiments with repeated measures and covariates.
Analysis and interpretation of data from each type of those designs will
be discussed with examples including construction of analysis of
variance tables and selection of sample size will also be discussed.
Issues regarding procedures for multiple comparisons and contrasts of
means will be introduced. Statistical analysis will be conducted using
the statistical software package, SAS. Prerequisites: PMCH 6443 and a
working knowledge of a statistical package, e.g. SAS, SPSS, StatView,
etc.; Term offered: Spring; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Lecture 1; Instructor: E. Whorton.
PMCH 6135
1 credit
CLINICAL RESEARCH: TOOL AND TECHNIQUES
This course provides an overview of
methods that are important in clinical research and is part of the
Clinical Research Education Program at UTMB (NIH K30 funded). The
course has two parts (Part I and Part II), offered in the fall and
spring semesters for 1 credit hour each. Core Topics include basic
concepts of study design, health services research, tracer methods,
pharmacokinetics, nutritional and body composition assessments,
bioinformatics tools, and clinical research ethics and regulation (Part
I of the course). The remainder of the course (Part II) addresses
epidemiological and statistical methods, writing research articles,
molecular methodologies, proteomics and gene therapy. Students will be
evaluated by participation in discussions. Attendance is expected for
at least 80% of scheduled sessions. Terms offered: I & II; Year
offered: Annually; Instructor: K. Anderson and Staff.
PMCH 6140
1 credit
SCHOLARS IN
EDUCATION
This course provides
2-3 modules each semester, using inquiry-based interactive class
sessions. Major topics include: Principles of Teaching and Learning,
Curriculum Development, Instructional Methods, Instructional Technology,
Learning Organizations, Education Evaluation, and Medical Education
Scholarship. Besides attending sessions, participants will be assigned
2-4 hours of between session readings and/or educational exercises.
During the semester, each participant will carry out an individual
educational research or development project, develop an educational
portfolio, or present a project to a group of invited guests. Students
will be evaluated based on their participation during class and
performance on project, portfolio or presentation. Terms offered: I,
II, III; Year offered: Annually; Instructor: Clinical Science faculty.
PMCH
6150
1 credit
INTRODUCTION TO
SAMPLING METHODS
This is an
introductory course. It will emphasize the logic of sampling selection
and will cover the basic probability sampling designs including simple
random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and stratified
cluster sampling and an understanding of the advantages and
disadvantages of Ratio estimators will be covered as well. The
statistical estimators a population’s mean, total, and proportion will
be covered. Students will be expected to read and understand
significant amounts of assigned materials and be prepared to lead a
discussion of the material during class. Half of each will be used for
lecture and half will be reserved for discussions of the assigned
readings. Students will consider various sampling plans pertaining to
their individual areas of study. Students will be evaluated based on an
exam and class participation in discussions. Term offered: II; Year
offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 2, Conference 1 (5 weeks);
Instructor: E. Whorton.
PMCH 6155
1 credit
TEACHING IN
TOXICOLOGY
This course will
offer graduate students the opportunity to learn how to instruct high
level undergraduate and masters students using an introductory
toxicology course as the teaching venue. Students will prepare lectures
including setting objectives, developing outlines, writing and grading
examination questions, and creating presentations using Power Point
under the supervision of the teaching faculty. In addition, the student
will lead the enrolled students in the discussion of an assigned primary
literature paper. The lectures will be presented to students taking the
Toxicology course at Texas A&M University Galveston. Students will
receive written evaluations of the quality of their lecture content,
organization and delivery form the teaching faculty and evaluations from
the students receiving their lectures. Students will be graded on: 1)
their presentation preparation and delivery, 2) effectiveness at
structuring and leading a discussion session, and 3) quality and
fairness of their exam questions. Term offered: II; Year offered:
Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 1; Instructor: M. Moslen.
PMCH 6195
1 credit
SEMINAR
This course is used
to survey of current problems, programs and needs in preventive medicine
and community health. Seminar is intended to provide students with
continuing education on issues and advances in the field; serve as a
forum for the exchange of information about student research interests;
and offer practical experience to prepare the student for research
presentations. Terms offered: I, II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per
week: Seminar 1; Instructor: W. Au.
PMCH
6210
2 credits
INTRODUCTION TO DATA
MANAGEMENT
This course provides
an introduction to the management of data using computer packages. The
basics of data management language and data steps will be presented.
The course also includes instruction in how to read, write, edit and
stores data. Instruction is also provided on how to modify, combine,
and update data sets as well as produce data summaries. Packages
covered may include SAS, Minitab, or S+. Terms offered: 1; Year
offered: Annually; Hours per week: Laboratory 3, Lecture 1; Instructor:
L. Ray, D. Zhang.
PMCH 6215
2 credits
EPIDEMIOLOGIC
RESEARCH USING LARGE PUBLIC DATABASES
The purpose of this
course is to provide students with the skills required to manage and
analyze large public databases for epidemiologic research, such as SEER
and Medicare data. These databases carry great potential for answering
many important research questions and for evaluating the outcomes of
medical care. Many techniques and skills learned from using these
typical databases could readily be applied in the analysis of other
large datasets. The course format consists of 2-hour meetings a week
with lectures and hands-on exercises. Students' grades will be assigned
on the basis of 100 points for the course, which will be based on class
participation, home work assignment, submitting a mid-term proposal,
final proposal, and presentation. It would be helpful if students are
familiar with SAS program or have basic epidemiology knowledge. Term
offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 2;
Instructor: J. Baillargeon, J. Grady, H. Wu, D. Zhang.
PMCH
6220
2 credits
CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN THE
COMMUNITY
This course will offer students an
introduction to public health methods for the control of infectious
diseases and the impact of infectious disease as a co-morbidity of
chronic disease. These principles will be elucidated by studying major
infectious disease groups that affect human health. Topics will include
pathobiology, epidemiology, epidemic potential, and international health
impact. Emphasis will be on methods of identification, suspected
infectious agent, occurrence, reservoir mode of transmission,
incubation, period of communicability, susceptibility and resistance,
methods of control, reporting and legal requirements, and on research
needs and discovery of new public health methods for the surveillance
and control of major disease groups. Global Health trends will be
presented and students will be introduced to the various control
measures currently employed by public health practioners and clinical
preventive medicine specialists. Outbreak investigation will be
presented and the role of infectious disease in disaster will be
discussed. Student will be graded based on class participation and
preparation, a presentation on a selected topic, quizzes and a final
exam. Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture
2; Instructors: R. Johnson.
PMCH 6223
2 credits
COMMUNITY HEALTH PRACTICE I
Public health and affiliated professionals provide a
range of services in the general areas of assessment, policy
development, and assurance. This course will provide an overview of the
public health system in the United States and the public health approach
to disease prevention and health promotion. The structure and function
of both governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations will be
examined. The key elements of an evidence-based approach to community
health practice will be presented. Grading will be based on class
participation, a written paper, and an oral presentation.
Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually;
Hours per week: Lecture 2; Instructor: L. Rudkin.
PMCH 6227
2 credits
INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL INJURY AND
ILLNESS
This course will be taught in lecture
format, with handouts and slides, using one text as reference. It will
serve as an introduction to Occupational Medicine for the three
residencies in Preventive Medicine (Aerospace, General Preventive
Medicine, and Occupational Medicine) and will be open to 4th
year medical students and residents at UTMB to take as an elective
without credit. Students will learn the history of occupational medicine
and get an overview of a variety of work and health related subjects.
The course will be offered in the summer with an intensive five-day
curriculum comprising a total of thirty hours of contact time. The
course will be conducted with an optimum mix of lectures, case
discussions, challenging exercises and interesting site visits.
Prerequisites: Instructors permission; Term offered: III; Year offered:
Annually; Hours per week: 1 Lecture, 1 Discussion; Instructor: N. Avery.
PMCH 6233
2 credits
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
This course is designed as an
introduction to the epidemiologic and public health aspects of
infectious diseases of importance in the United States and globally.
Emphasis will be placed on specific diseases and their etiology,
distribution, determinants, prevention and control. After completing
this course, students should be able to understand the epidemiologic
characteristics of various infectious diseases, and how epidemiologic
methods are applied to study these diseases. Students will gain
knowledge through lectures, class discussion, an outbreak exercise and
an individual project. Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually;
Hours/weeks: 3/10 Lecture; Instructors: M. Alter; C. Arcari.
PMCH 6250
2 credits
DIRECTED STUDIES IN METABOLISM
To introduce students to research in
metabolism and keep them abreast of the latest developments in this
field. Readings and discussion of current literature, presentation and
discussion of current research by staff and guest speakers. Grading S/U
except for students giving a presentation. Prerequisite: Admission to
PMCH graduate program for studying in this area. Terms offered: I, II
and III; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: 2 Conference or
Discussion; Instructor: E. Volpi.
PMCH 6312
3 credits
Minorities,
Aging and Health
This course provides
students an opportunity to obtain an overview of issues related to the
health of America’s elderly from different ethnic minorities. Special
emphasis will be given to the mortality and life expectancy, chronic
disease and disability, diet and nutrition, mental health, health
services and long-term care, and health policy. This lecture and
discussion style course will be graded with a mid-term exam, a final
take-home examination, a term paper, and class participation. Term
offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 2,
Conference/Discussion 1; Instructor: K. Markides
PMCH 6313
3 credits
Longitudinal
Data Analysis
This course will
introduce students to the analysis of longitudinal data. The topics
will be motivated by actual data sets, chosen by the instructor or
possibly the students and cover both continuous and categorical
outcomes. Statistical concepts and theory will be presented and related
to applied settings where possible. Topics will include: a review of
matrices; paired data; general linear models for longitudinal data; the
mixed model; time varying covariates; general estimating equation (GEE)
methods; weighted least squares (time permitting). Homework and exams
will require the use of SAS. Grading will be on the A-F scale and based
on class attendance and participation, weekly homework assignments, and
two take-home exams. Prerequisite: PMCH 6443 and PMCH 6344; Terms
offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 3;
Instructor: J. Grady
PMCH 6314
3 credits
Methods in
Health Services Research
This course provides
students with the means of applying epidemiologic and biostatistical
methods to the design of population based studies in health services
research. Such studies are commonly used in the field to assess the
utilization, cost and outcomes of health services in community
settings. Course material is covered in three sections, which addresses
measurement issues, study design and statistical approaches. Topics
include confirmatory factor analysis in scale development, data
management and measurement issues with administrative dates, the use of
randomized controlled trials and case control studies in health services
research, the analysis of complex sample survey data, Poison regression
and the statistical comparison of population based rates of health care
use and outcomes. A standard G-1 grading system will be used for this
lecture course. The final grade will be based on class participation,
two case studies, and a research proposal. Terms offered: I; Year
offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: J. Freeman, J.
Goodwin.
PMCH 6316
3 credits
Epidemiology of
Cancer
This is an
introductory course that will acquaint students with basic information
on cancer biology and pathophysiology focusing on biochemical and
molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis including biomarkers of cellular
injury, mutagenesis and neoplastic processes as these relate to the
epidemiology of the most common forms of cancer. Patterns of cancer
occurrence will be reviewed to identify variations and to become
familiar with various theories about the etiologies of the family of
diseases known as cancer. The course will explore the significance of
physical, chemical and behavioral risks as etiologic agents. Attention
will be given to factors that affect disease incidence and survival
including the application of primary prevention, screening and early
detection activities. Methodological issues pertinent to cancer
epidemiology will be discussed and students will learn about common
cancer data sources such as the SEER Program. Instructional activities
and grades: The course will employ a variety of learning strategies
including lecture/discussion, reading assignments, and student
projects. Grades will be based on participation in discussion, student
presentations, mid-term and final exams, and a term project, wherein
students will be encouraged to select a cancer of a specific organ site
or system and to review the epidemiology focusing attention on factors
that lend themselves to modification such as hazardous exposure to
smoking, radiation, chemicals, occupations and manufacturing processes,
and dietary or sexual practices. Prerequisites: PMCH 6330, PMCH 6443
and undergraduate pathophysiology course or permission of instructor;
Term offered: III; Year offered: Biennially-even numbered years; Hours
per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: B. Philips.
PMCH 6318
3 credits
HEALTH PROMOTION:
SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES
Models of the
public health approach to disease prevention and health promotion
typically include six steps: (1) define the problem, (2) identify the
causes, (3) develop and test interventions, (4) implement interventions,
(5) evaluate interventions, and (6) disseminate results. In this
course, students will utilize a formal health planning model to
practice an evidence-based approach to the development of community and
population health interventions. The focus will be on social and
behavioral determinants of health problems and how these determinants
might be modified to improve the health status of populations. Students
will be introduced to popular and emerging theories and models of health
behavior and health education. Grading will be based on class
participation and written and oral presentations of a needs assessment
and an intervention and evaluation plan.
Prerequisites: None; Term offered: II;
Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: G.
Weaver.
PMCH 6321
3 credits
SURVIVAL ANALYSIS
This course exposes
students to the following: Scope of Survival Analysis; The Clinical
Trial Environment; Define Failure Times; Left & Right Censoring;
Accelerated Failure Time Testing; Distributions of Failure Times
(particularly families of exponentially distributed failures); Hazard
Functions; Survivorship Functions; Product Limits and Actuarial
Estimators; Statistical Tests for Comparing Failure Time Distributions;
Statistical Software for Survival Analysis; Competing Risks and
Proportional Hazards; Time Dependent Covariates; Issues in Monitoring
Clinical Trials, including Interim Analysis; Sequential Clinical
Trials. Grading will be based on two take home examinations (30% each)
and the development of two survival outcomes based clinical studies
protocols and analysis plans (20% each). Prerequisites: PMCH 6443 and
PMCH 6344; Term Offered: III; Year offered: Biennially (Even); Hours per
week: Lecture 3; Instructor: Y. Kuo.
PMCH 6322
3 credits
DESIGN AND METHODS
IN CLINICAL, NUTRITIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY RESEARCH
The course provides
an in-depth review of research design concepts and applications for
clinical, nutritional and environmental toxicology investigations. The
course is composed of several major topics: a) elements of research
design, b) analytical techniques for chemicals, c) analytical techniques
using biological materials, d) functional assays in toxicology, e)
functional assays in clinical investigations, f) applications for
techniques to investigations, and g) integration of concepts into the
design of investigations. Besides attending lectures, students will
read and discuss selected research articles and prepare a grant-style
research proposal. Students will be evaluated based on their
participatory activities in class, quality of grant proposal and
performance in the final examination. Prerequisites: PMCH 6443; Term
offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: 3 Lecture;
Instructors: W. Au and staff.
PMCH
6326
3 credits
COMMUNITY HEALTH PRACTICE II
The core functions of public health—assessment, policy
development, and assurance—are met through the delivery of 10 essential
services. This course provides students with applied experience in the
delivery of those services through placements in public health practice
settings, including governmental agencies, community based
organizations, and worksite health programs. At the host site,
students will complete mentored projects
that require them to put in practice knowledge and skills learned in
their academic curricula. Grading will be based on a written report,
critical incident journal entries, a self-assessment of practice based
competencies, and evaluation by the host site preceptor. Prerequisite:
PMCH 6223. Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Conference or discussion 3; Instructors: L. Rudkin and E. Guevara.
PMCH 6328
3 credits
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
& TOXICOLOGY
The course is
intended to provide students with knowledge about health effects which
can be caused by exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., air,
water, and food borne biological and chemical agents. Students will be
taught about how to recognize, document, diagnose and manage the
problem. In addition, they will also be taught about the mechanisms
involved in the development of environmental disease. The course will
involve lectures and student presentations. Students will be graded
based on their performance on two examinations and their presentations.
Prerequisites: None; Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually; Hours per
week: 2 Lecture 1, Conference/Discussion: Instructor: W. Au and staff.
PMCH 6329
3 credits
MEDICAL TOXICOLOGY
This lecture
course, given in the spring semester for physicians in all 3 Preventive
Medicine residencies and other interested graduate students (who should
have prior pharmacological courses). The course is didactic based, plus
there are site visits to the Poison Control Center and to UTMB Pathology
Laboratories. Dr. Avery provides a CD-ROM with ~500 pages of text and
~200 pages of pictures in a multi-media teaching presentation. This
material is extracted from ~14 current toxicology texts. The outline of
the course is based on the material included in the board examination in
Medical Toxicology. Grading is based on multiple choice examination and
class participation. Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours
per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: N. Avery.
PMCH 6330
3 credits
INTRODUCTION TO
EPIDEMIOLOGY
This course provides
an introduction to the theory and practice of epidemiology. The
historical development of epidemiologic research, theories of disease
causation, epidemics and their prevention, measures of disease
frequency, risk and other measures of effect, point and interval
estimation, various epidemiologic study designs, confounding and effect
modification, and an introduction to stratified analysis are covered in
the lectures. Case studies that illustrate the application of
epidemiologic principles to substantive issues of health and illness are
discussed during the class. A standard A - F grading system will be
used for this course. Prerequisite: None; Term offered: I; Year
offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructors: C. Arcari.
PMCH
6331
3 credits
ADVANCED EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS
This lecture course is designed to
provide a rigorous overview of epidemiologic methods in clinical and
public health research. In view of the growing need for quantitative
approaches in epidemiology, the main thrust of this course will be
statistical methods and interpretations pertinent to practice of modern
epidemiology. Students will be evaluated based on class participation,
homework assignments, mid-term exams, and a final take home exam.
Prerequisites: PMCH 6443 or consent of instructor; Term offered: II;
Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: 3; Instructor: H. Dayal.
PMCH 6340
3 credits
HEALTH ECONOMICS
This course provides an introduction to
the theory and methods used in the field of health economics. Through a
combination of lectures, paper presentations and discussion, students
will develop the tools needed to (1) think rigorously about the role of
individual and institutional incentives in their own research, and (2)
critically evaluate health policies and health services research.
Students will be graded based on class participation, an oral
presentation, a written paper, and demonstration of their ability to use
these tools by preparing and defending a research proposal.
Prerequisites: None; Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually; Hours per
week: Lecutre 3; Instructor: Clinical Science Faculty.
PMCH
6341
3 credits
CATEGORICAL DATA
ANALYSIS
This course provides
researchers an introduction to some of the major techniques used in
analyzing categorical data. This includes a review of probability and
some common discrete distributions. Log-linear models, weighted least
squares and logistic regression are presented. In addition, techniques
for small samples and for survey samples are discussed. Most of the
examples are drawn from published articles although occasionally an
artificial data set is used to emphasize a particular point. For more
than two variables most computations require the use of a computer.
Throughout the course either SAS or BMDP software has been used. Grades
will be based on an examination and term paper. Prerequisites: PMCH 6443
or equivalent; Term offered: I or III; Year offered: Biennially (Odd);
Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: D. Freeman.
PMCH
6344
3 credits
Introduction to
Linear Models
This course is a continuation
of Biostatistics (PMCH 6443) with emphasis on statistical design and
data analysis. Concepts that will
be covered include: multiple regression, stepwise regression,
discriminate analysis, logistic regression, nominal and ordinal logistic
regression, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis. Two
data sets from the text book are pursued throughout the course so
students can appreciate the spectrum of multivariate techniques
available to analyze complex data sets. Assistance with SAS will be
provided throughout the course to facilitate student learning.
Prerequisites: PMCH 6443; Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually;
Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: H. Dayal.
PMCH
6348
3 credits
MEASUREMENT ISSUES
This course covers
basic topics in measurement and psychometrics. A first objective is to
understand levels of measurement for variables and how to design good
quality data collection materials. A second objective is the
construction of indices and scales from the responses for individual
items. Third, is the assessment of reliability and vaildity of variables
and scales. Student projects will focus on scale construction with
principal components analysis and an assessment of reliability.
Students will also compare and contrast available of scales. Course
grade will depend upon discussion of assigned readings and successful
completeion of projects. Prerequisites: Basic statistics course; Term
offered: I; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 3;
Instructor: S. Weller.
PMCH
6354
3 credits
LINEAR MODELS
This course deals
with statistical models for the analysis of quantitative data, of the
types usually encountered in biomedical research. The statistical
methods studied are the general linear model for continuous responses
(including multiple regression, analysis of variance and analysis of
covariance). All of these techniques are covered as special cases of
the General Linear Model, which provides a central unifying statistical
framework for the entire course. The emphasis is on understanding and
applying statistical concepts and techniques. Some familiarity with
matrix algebra and calculus is necessary. Computer literacy is
essential, as we make extensive use of the computer. We recommend using
SAS, but students are free to use other software packages such as Stata.
Course requirements consist of required readings, six problem sets, and
two partial exams, one near the middle and another at the end of the
term. Prerequisite: PMCH 6443 and
PMCH 6344 or equivalent; Term offered: Term III; Year offered: Annually;
Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: J. Grady.
PMCH
6355
3 credits
TRACER METHODOLOGY
All aspects of
tracer methodology in metabolic research will be covered, particularly
including stable isotope methodology. Analytical issues will include
instrumentation, sample preparation and (primarily) calculation of
results. General topics related to metabolic/nutrition research include
the doubly labeled water technique to measure energy expenditure;
substrate oxidation studies; specific labeling patterns in quantifying
TCA cycle activity, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis; urea kinetics;
glucose uptake and lactate/pyruvate kinetics; fat metabolism
(particularly lipolysis and reesterification); and some basic aspects of
compartmental modeling. Grades are based on examinations at the quarter
and half-way points in the semester and on a required presentation near
the semester termination. Prerequisite: None, but physiology and
biochemistry are recommended; Term offered: Term II; Year offered:
Annually; Hours per week: 1 Lecture; 2 Conference or Discussion;
Instructor: D. Chinkes.
PMCH
6361
3 credits
IMMUNIZATION FOR THE
PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
This course will
provide students with an understanding of vaccine development and
immunization policies. By completion of this course students should
understand: 1. The impact vaccines have made on the public health; 2.
The development, composition, testing and use of vaccines; the
regulatory imperatives for vaccine production; 3. The factors that
affect the availability, supply, delivery and administration of
vaccines; 4. The balance of vaccine safety and vaccine efficacy; 5. The
impact of health economics on the availability and use of vaccines; 6.
That public health objectives may differ substantially from the
objectives of other stake holders; 7. The development and implementation
of immunization policy. The student will be evaluated based on class
participation and a final examination. Term offered: Fall; Year offered:
Bi-annually; Hours per week: Lecture 1, Conference or discussion: 1,
Seminar 1; Instructor: M. Myers.
PMCH
6366
3 credits
AGING AND HEALTH
This course provides
an opportunity to obtain an overview of the influence of social and
behavioral factors in the aging process and of the relationship between
the aging process and health and disease. Emphasis is given to trends in
mortality and longevity, leading causes of death and disability in old
age, issues in prevention and health promotion, mental health, and
institutionalization and its alternatives. In addition, the effect of
demographic changes and changes in health of older people of social
institutions and social and health policy are examined. Prerequisite:
Consent of instructor; Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours
per week: Conference or discussion 3; Instructor: K. Markides.
PMCH
6370
3 credits
CULTURE AND HEALTH
This course is
designed to give students the skills to conduct research with a
cross-cultural emphasis. It will focus on the systematic study of
cultural beliefs - from the development of interview materials to the
analysis of formal questionnaire responses. Attention also will be paid
to issues involved in the application of standardized instruments in
multi-ethnic settings: reliability, validity, modification and
translation. Students will be expected to conduct interviews and
complete a research project assessing cultural beliefs. Prerequisite:
PMCH 6443; Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Conference or Discussion 3; Instructor: S. Weller.
PMCH
6371
3 credits
RESEARCH METHODS IN
SOCIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
This course is
designed to acquaint the student with the basic procedures of conducting
research in the sociomedical sciences, including conceptualization of a
research question, operational definition and measurement, design, and
analysis and preparation of a scientific paper. Prerequisites: PMCH
6330, 6443 and consent of instructor; Term offered: I; Year offered:
Annually; Hours per week: Seminar 3; Instructors: S. Weller.
PMCH 6378
3 credits
HEALTH BEHAVIOR
This course will
examine a number of behaviors that have significant implications for
health. Focus will be on smoking, exercise, compliance/management of
chronic disease, nutritional habits, coping/stress management, substance
abuse and use of safety devices. These topics will be surveyed as to
their epidemiology, medical and non-medical outcomes, assessment,
behavior change, and theoretical considerations. Prerequisite: None;
Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week: Conference or
Discussion 3; Instructors: G. Weaver.
PMCH
6379
3 credits
SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
This course will develop and enhance students’
ability to gather, synthesize, and critically evaluate the research
literature in social epidemiology. The course will also provide
students with conceptual and methodological frameworks for conducting
empirical research in the field. Health disparities will be described
and theory and evidence addressing plausible causal pathways will be
reviewed. Students will practice assembling and critiquing empirical
evidence for specific hypotheses in social epidemiology. Grading will
be based on class participation, article critiques, and oral and written
presentation of term paper. Prerequisites: None; Term offered: I; Year
offered: Annually; Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructors: SMS faculty.
PMCH
6380
3 credits
SOCIETY AND HEALTH
CARE
A critical analysis
of modern health care delivery systems, focusing on the United States
and cross-national comparisons. Topics include historical origins,
organizational structure, utilization patterns, economic and political
aspects and provider-consumer issues. Analysis of problems in providing
care, professional socialization of healers, the sick role, patient
role, health status, institutional functioning, and social policy will
be addressed. Prerequisite: Second-year status in Sociomedical Sciences
or consent of instructor; Term offered: I; Year offered: Biennially;
Hours per week: Conference or Discussion 3; Instructor: K. Peek.
PMCH
6381
3 credits
APPLIED RESEARCH
METHODS
The student will be
given the opportunity to demonstrate a knowledge of: (1) historical and
policy issues and the basic approaches used in research; (2) when a
problem is amenable to investigation by formal research methods, (3)
specific theoretical research models and techniques for analyzing and
developing both quantitative and qualitative forms of research and
evaluation studies; (4) specific methods and procedures for reviewing
and assessing the research literature, and (5) designing his/her own
research or evaluation study. Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually;
Hours per week: Conference or discussion 3; Instructors: R. Marion, B.
Niebuhr.
PMCH
6382
3 credits
INTRODUCTION TO
AEROSPACE MEDICINE
The objective of
this course is to develop comprehension and appreciation of major
contributions to the advancement of aviation and space flight by life
science professionals, and awareness of current and future challenges.
Each course participant should demonstrate comprehension of the course
objectives by writing a brief paper of research questions yet to be
answered. Term offered: III; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Lecture 3; Instructor: R. Johnson.
PMCH
6384
3 credits
HEALTH POLICY and
MANAGEMENT
The course focuses
on current policies to increase accountability in health care delivery
and the implications of these policies for the management of health care
organizations and public health programs. The evolution of the U.S.
health care system is examined, with emphasis on those forces underlying
the current reshaping of medical practice and the delivery of public
health services. Methods, measures and data used to evaluate the costs
and outcomes of health services are presented and discussed. The
principal functions of health care managers are also addressed in the
context of applying effective operations management approaches that
increase financial and clinical accountability in providing services to
defined populations. Prerequisite: None; Term offered: I; Year offered:
Annually; Hours per week: 3; Instructor: J. Freeman; J. Goodwin.
PMCH
6387
3 credits
OUTCOMES RESEARCH
This course
provides an introduction to the methods used in the design and
implementation of studies aimed at assessing the effectiveness of
medical interventions. Its goal is to provide students with the means
of applying epidemiologic concepts and methods to the measurement and
analysis of health care outcomes. The first part of the course will
focus on alternative research designs, measurement issues, sources of
data and analysis techniques for comparing patterns of care and
assessing outcomes of preventive services and medical therapies. The
components of a research protocol are reviewed with specific examples
from funded studies in health care research. In the second part of the
course, research design and measurement issues will be presented and
evaluated in the context of specific public health ad clinical
examples. Prerequisite: None; Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually;
Hours per week: 3; Instructors: J. Freeman, J. Goodwin, T. Riall, G.
Weaver.
PMCH
6390
3 credits
INTRODUCTION TO
REHABILITATION SCIENCE
The purpose of this
course is to provide an overview of the field of rehabilitation science,
emphasizing its interdisciplinary nature. It is designed to cover a
board study of rehabilitation science relying on models of the
enabling-disabling process and is divided into four modules that
highlight research, evidence, and practice: 1) definitions and domains
of rehabilitation science, and the dynamic interplay between disability
and rehabilitation; 2) cognition; 3) motor function; and 4) psychosocial
function. Survey of recent scientific literature on rehabilitation and
disability highlighting both qualitative and quantitative methods will
be presented. All students will be involved in reviews and critiques of
various isses in the field from perspectives of their areas of
interest. Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Lecture 3; Instructors: G. Weaver and other Rehab Science faculty.
PMCH
6391
3 credits
EVIDENCE-BASED
REHABILITATION: ISSUES AND METHODS
The aim of this
course is to introduce students and professionals to the concepts of
evidence-based practice and outcome measurement in rehabilitation. The
course will emphasize the growing need for evidence-based practice in
rehabilitation and discuss how the methods and procedures developed in
clinical medicine can be used to establish evidence-based strategies
for persons with disability and/or chronic disease. Students will be
evaluated based on class participation, exercises, and a written and
oral report. Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Lecture 3; Instructor: K. Ottenbacher.
PMCH
6392
3 credits
INTRODUCTION TO
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
This
interdisciplinary course provides an introduction to the principles of
Assistive Technology with an emphasis on objective quantification of
human function and the analytic design of enabling and augmenting
devices and methods. The fundamentals of information transfer in sensory
systems and instrumentation and measurement will be reviewed extensively
prior to the study of solutions for design and/or identification of
appropriate assistive devices. Students will be evaluated based on
class participation, a short paper reviewing a new assistive technology,
and mid-term and final exams structured by the textbook and other
lecture materials. Term offered: II; Year offered: Biennially-Odd
years; Hours per week: Lecture 3; Instructors: W. Buford, R. Patterson.
PMCH
6393
3 credits
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL
PERSPECTIVES OF DISABILITY IN ADULT POPULATIONS
This course provides
a broad understanding of disability from a biological, psychological and
social perspective. It includes definitions and epidemiology of
disability, the demographic, comparative and differential patterns of
aging, the biological/physiological processes of aging and the linkage
to onset of disability, and the leading theories of aging. Emphasis is
also given to psychological and social factors that may complicate or
reduce the burdens of disabilities. Various issues related to health
promotion and illness prevention among persons with disabilities are
examined. Term offered: III; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Lecture 3; Instructors: G. Weaver, K. Mossberg.
PMCH
6394
3 credits
QUALITY OF LIFE:
THEORY AND MEASUREMENT IN REHABILITATION
This
interdisciplinary course provides an introduction to concepts associated
with quality of life as an outcome of rehabilitation intervention and an
issue in social policy development. Emphasis is given to definitions of
the concept, measurement of outcomes, and the influence of social policy
on rehabilitation practices. Students will be evaluated based on class
participation, a short paper related to quality of life issues, a class
presentation on an instrument or issue relevant to quality of life, and
mid-term and final exams structured upon readings and lectures
materials. Term offered: III; Year offered: Biennially-Odd Years; Hours
per week: Lecture 3; Instructor: G. Ostir.
PMCH
6401
4 credits
PREVENTION AND
PUBLIC HEALTH
The fields of preventive medicine and public health both
focus on disease prevention and health promotion, but differ in their
analytical and intervention approaches. Preventive medicine activities
typically target individuals with research and interventions taking
place in clinical settings. Public health, in contrast, is concerned
with the health of populations and research and interventions are
commonly set in community-based settings. This course will review both
types of approaches with emphases on developing answerable research
questions, identifying appropriate data sources, critiquing empirical
articles, synthesizing research literature, and integrating quantitative
skills with relevant concepts and theories to address specific
questions. Research and practice examples from the multiple disciplines
of public health will be presented.
Grading will be based on class
participation, completion of short exercises, and a term paper and oral
presentation. Prerequisite: PMCH 6330 and PMCH 6443 or consent of
instructor; Term offered: II; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Lecture 2, Conference/Discussion 2; Instructor: L. Rudkin.
PMCH
6443
4 credits
BIOSTATISTICS
Course objective is
to provide the student with a basic understanding of the use and
interpretation of certain classical and state-of-the-art statistical
techniques and in the study of health and biomedical problems. Topics to
be covered are basic probability, sensitivity and specificity, Bayes
Rule, population measures of location and dispersion, Gaussian
distributions, point estimation, confidence intervals, classical and
practical hypothesis testing, simple analysis of variance with mean
separation tests, nonparametric procedures for one- and two-way
classifications, least squares regression and correlation, including
lack of fit tests, simple categorical data analysis including goodness
of fit, and homogeneity of proportions. The course is didactic. Course
grade will be based on homework, three one-hour closed book examinations
and a final. Term offered: I; Year offered: Annually; Hours per week:
Lecture 4; Instructors: D. Freeman; J. Grady.
PMCH
6456
4 credits
BASIC AND APPLIED NUTRITION
The goal of this
course is to integrate basic concepts in biochemistry, physiology and
cell biology as they contribute to an understanding of nutritional
effects and requirements at the cellular level and for the whole body.
The topics to be covered are: Nutritional
metabolism/physiology/carbohydrates, amino acids/proteins, lipids;
minerals, trace elements, vitamins; digestion and absorption in the
gastrointestinal tract; nutritional assessment; nutritional
epidemiology, National Nutrition Surveys; specific topics including
antioxidants, gene expression, exercise and nutrition, methods in
nutrition research. The course will consist of three lecture hours and 1
hour of discussion of a relevant journal article. Students will be
graded on a mid-term and final written examination and participation in
journal article discussion. Prerequisite: BBSC 6401 (Biochemistry); BBSC
6402 (Cell Biology), or equivalent; Term offered: Term I; Year offered:
Annually; Instructor: R. Carroll and staff.
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