UC leads first doctorate in epidemiology from the country
The program, taught by the Faculty of Medicine of the Catholic University and that will start in 2020, It is the only area in Chile and in the Southern Cone.
About ten millions of Chileans live with one or two chronic diseases now, According to the latest results from the national survey of health. A fact which concerns public health and which recurs in much of the region, at the time that infectious diseases have declined. To face this new epidemic, professionals who analyse the scientific evidence and may suggest effective public policies are needed, Whereas this context.
The Faculty of Medicine of the Pontificia Universidad Católica of Chile created the first PhD in epidemiology the country's, It will start in 2020 in order to delve into the training of researchers specialized in problems that affect the population today. For this purpose, also strengthened the link with the Advanced Center for chronic diseases (ACCDiS ) by collaborating researchers and with the availability of a scholarship for a PhD student.
The Dra. Catterina Ferreccio, Programme Director, Deputy Director of ACCDiS and academic of the Department of public health UC, He stressed the importance of this programme in the region, as there is a similar one in South America and there are very few that cover the topics to develop this program in Latin America. "A feature of our is that research can be transformed into public policies for the country, It can be used for society. It is action research", highlighted.
In this sense, Doctorate in epidemiology graduate may conduct "investigations, original, autonomous, in an ethical manner and with relevant public health methodological rigour and capacity for project management specifically in the field of epidemiology and public health in general", added
Today, the country does not have the required minimum number of epidemiologists of doctoral level with ability to conduct these studies at the level country, fewer still outside the Metropolitan Region. It highlights the importance of this new program; It is also open to students from Latin America.
PhD, students will get to know more about population epidemiology, clinical and genetic, social epidemiology and environmental epidemiology: from biomarkers and distribution of carcinogenic to models of production on the health of the communities and the impact of culture.
Experience in field
The program students will have also the possibility of immersion experiences in population studies and internships in the Undersecretary of public health and the Institute of public health (ISP).
On the other hand, in the Department of public health UC, researchers who will be part of the academic staff in the PhD are in charge of important activities such as the MAUCO cohort -Chilean study that seeks to analyze the natural history of chronic diseases in the community of Molina, Maule region- or the national health survey - carried out on several occasions on behalf of the Ministry of health-, allowing students to live first-hand current and actual epidemiological problems in Chile.
In addition, the new doctorate in epidemiology UC has links with international institutions that allow their students to access internship options, research units, cotutorias's thesis and participation in seminars in centers of prestige in United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Germany and France.
ACCDiS scholarship for PhD students of the program
The Center for advanced chronic diseases offers a student access to an allocation of annual support for the fellow, as the Faculty of medicine UC hold the full payment of the fee of the PhD in epidemiology.
The PhD students who enter the program using this scholarship should be your thesis on issues related to two lines of research of ACCDiS, focusing on the work of the cohort MAUCO.
Academic Vice-Chancellor UC and school of medicine scholarships
At last, the UC academic Vice-Chancellor will also feature three scholarships for PhD students that stipulates the fee and monthly maintenance cost. The school of medicine UC will help complement the VRI scholarship.