Doctoral Program in Epidemiology & Translational Science

Program Overview

The PhD program in Epidemiology and Translational Science at UCSF combines core epidemiologic and biostatistical training with practical research rotations, emphasizing translation from research to population health impact. It offers a flexible curriculum tailored to individual goals, with opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and teaching experience. Graduates are prepared for careers in academia, government, and industry research and public health institutions.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The PhD program in Epidemiology and Translational Science is a collaboration between the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and UCSF's renowned Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. It offers high-caliber training in core skills of epidemiologic and biostatistical methods along with practical research rotations that enhance classroom training. The program emphasizes translation from research to population health impact. It is located in a school of medicine on a health sciences campus, affording countless opportunities for training in clinical, basic, and population sciences with faculty in the department and other UCSF departments. The program's objectives are to:

• Train students in the core skills of epidemiologic and biostatistical methods
• Provide students with practical research rotations to enhance classroom training
• Emphasize translation from research to population health impact
• Take advantage of the highly interdisciplinary nature of UCSF and adopt a transdisciplinary approach to graduate education

Outline:

The PhD program is a three- to four-year course of study. The program's content covers a wide range of topics in epidemiology and translational science, including:

• Core epidemiologic methods
• Biostatistical methods
• Research design
• Data analysis
• Scientific writing
• Grant writing
• Teaching epidemiology and translational sciences
The program's structure is flexible and accommodating to individual professional goals and backgrounds. Students take courses within the department's Training In Clinical Research program, throughout UCSF, or via intercampus exchange elsewhere in the UC system or several other Bay Area universities. The program's course schedule is tailored to each student's individual needs. Students typically take a combination of core courses, elective courses, and research rotations. The program's individual modules include:
• Core courses: These courses provide students with a foundation in the core skills of epidemiology and translational science.
• Elective courses: These courses allow students to explore their interests in specific areas of epidemiology and translational science.
• Research rotations: These rotations provide students with hands-on experience in conducting research in a variety of settings.

Assessment:

Students in the PhD program are assessed through a variety of methods, including:

• Coursework
• Research rotations
• Dissertation
The program's coursework is graded on a letter scale. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to remain in good standing. The program's research rotations are evaluated by the student's mentor and the program director. Students must receive a satisfactory evaluation in order to complete the rotation. The program's dissertation is evaluated by a committee of faculty members. Students must successfully defend their dissertation in order to graduate.

Teaching:

The PhD program is taught by a team of experienced faculty members who are leaders in their fields. The faculty use a variety of teaching methods, including:

• Lectures
• Discussions
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Research rotations
The program also offers a variety of opportunities for students to teach epidemiology and translational sciences. Students can serve as teaching assistants for courses, give presentations at conferences, and develop teaching materials.

Careers:

Graduates of the PhD program in Epidemiology and Translational Science are prepared for a variety of careers in academia, government, non-profit, and industry research and public health institutions. Potential career paths include:

• Epidemiologist
• Biostatistician
• Clinical researcher
• Public health scientist
• Health policy analyst
• Data scientist

Other:

The PhD program in Epidemiology and Translational Science is a highly competitive program. The program typically admits four or five PhD students each year. Students in the program are funded from a combination of sources, including UCSF fellowships, individual or institutional dissertation fellowships from federal, state, local, and non-profit sources, and employment on faculty research projects. The program works with admitted students to identify funding opportunities.