MENTAL HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIOMETRY

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This is a competing continuation application for a training program that has been in place at The University of Iowa since 1977. The University of Iowa/NIMH Psychiatric Epidemiology and Biometry Training Program is currently a post-doctoral program providing advanced training in psychiatric epidemiology and biostatistics to physicians and Ph.D. scientists. In its history, the program has attracted psychiatrists, biostatisticians, epidemiologists, psychologists, and health educators. The program has offered educational opportunities to two types of individuals. The first is typically an M.D. psychiatrist who has already made a commitment to a research career psychiatry. Among these individuals are some who seek in depth training in the methods and techniques of biostatistics and epidemiology; they usually complete the M.S. degree in Community Health through this program. The second type of individual recruited for the post-doctoral program typically possess broad, or special, scientific skills but require exposure and training to the field of psychiatric epidemiology. These are ordinarily Ph.D. scientists wishing to enter the field of psychiatric epidemiology. Over the program's history, the program's strength has been its ability to recruit M.D. post-doctoral fellows. Approximately 112 of the fellows who have entered the program to date have been physicians. The program consists of three major activities: (1) formal coursework in biostatistics, epidemiology and psychiatric epidemiology, (2) participation in psychiatric research seminars, clinical conference activities and seminars in biostatistics and epidemiology, and (3) a precepted research experience in psychiatric epidemiology. In the past, the program has entered four post-doctoral fellows per year, two in the M.D. track and two in the Ph.D. track. For this competing continuation application, it is proposed that the post-doctoral program be reduced to only one Ph.D. fellow per year, but keeping the M.D. component at two post-doctoral fellows per year. An additional change proposed for this program is the inclusion of a pre-doctoral training program in biostatistics and/or epidemiology. It is expected that pre-doctoral fellows will require four years to complete the program while post- doctoral fellows will complete the program in either one or two years depending on background and interests. Depending on background and interest, fellows will receive didactic training in epidemiologic methods, biostatistics, psychiatric epidemiology and other courses as needed to complement their existing background. All fellows will be required to participate in courses in Responsible Conduct of Research, in the seminar programs of the Department of Psychiatry, the Divisions of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and to conduct a precepted research experience. All fellows in the program engage in research projects supervised by faculty from either the Department of Preventive Medicine or Psychiatry.