Epidemiology of Substance Use Disorders Training Program at Columbia University

描述(由申请者提供)：需要高质量的物质滥用流行病学培训，以培养致力于物质滥用流行病学事业的有才华的年轻科学家，成为该领域的下一代领导者。因此，T32DA031099(修订)的这份提案描述了一个新的博士后和博士后药物滥用流行病学培训计划，该计划位于哥伦比亚大学梅尔曼公共卫生学院(MSPH)流行病学系，与内科和外科学院精神病学系合作。流行病学系和精神病学系都有丰富的培训环境，为CU项目提供了一个出色的环境，该项目专门致力于药物滥用流行病学职业所需的专门培训。该计划从细胞到社会的角度看待物质滥用流行病学，并将提供从分子到大规模社会力量等多个层次的因果关系培训。培训将为研究人员提供物质滥用流行病学和相关领域的广泛而密集的培训；在某一专门领域的深度；一套方法和概念技能，包括提出关键的研究问题和可检验的假设，以及设计和进行高质量的物质滥用流行病学研究以检验这些假设。研究人员还将学习在专业课程中展示他们的发现。 在这种情况下，出版同行评议的手稿和撰写可资助的赠款提案；与其他人合作，并接受负责任的研究行为培训。这将通过MSPH的学术课程来实现，包括为期两学期的药物滥用流行病学核心序列；每周一次的药物滥用流行病学教师-研究员研讨会；指导和共同指导；实地实习；演讲机会；在准备手稿和拨款提案方面的指导和监督；其他活动，如大轮回、领导力研讨会、与其他培训计划的互动；以及负责任的研究行为培训。根据NIDA的建议，该计划将在01年和02年从2名博士后研究员(流行病学博士候选人)和2名相关学科的博士后研究员开始，在03年增加到3名和3名。这25名国际公认的教职员工在出版、资助和指导成功学员方面有着非常出色的记录。受训人员将根据他们对药物滥用流行病学的兴趣和承诺、他们以前的成就和经验来选择。将进行密集的招聘工作，从任职人数不足的群体中招收和留住受训人员。拟议的培训计划将有一个严格的评估计划，包括过程和结果措施。 公共卫生相关性：物质滥用流行病学在公共卫生中发挥着关键作用：(A)指出不同人群中药物滥用及相关问题的严重性和风险因素；(B)提供干预措施以减少药物滥用对个人和社会造成的损失；以及(C)为基础、临床和治疗研究指明新的方向。为了继续进行流行病学研究，这对了解社会中药物滥用的程度和原因至关重要，必须培训下一代药物滥用流行病学家。拟议中的计划将利用哥伦比亚大学杰出的研究和培训资源，并首次将这些资源纳入一个独特的计划，致力于培训有前途的初级科学家，使其在药物滥用流行病学领域担任职业和领导角色。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): High-quality training focused on substance abuse epidemiology is needed to prepare talented young scientists committed to a career in substance abuse epidemiology to become the next generation of leaders in this field. Accordingly, this proposal for T32DA031099 (revised) describes a new pre- and postdoctoral substance abuse epidemiology training program located in the Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH), at Columbia University (CU), in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons. The Departments of Epidemiology and Psychiatry are both rich training environments, providing an outstanding setting for a CU program uniquely dedicated to the specialized training necessary for careers in substance abuse epidemiology. The program takes a cells-to-society perspective on substance abuse epidemiology, and will offer training at multiple levels of causation, ranging from the molecular t large-scale social forces. Training will provide fellows with broad yet intensive training in the field of substance abuse epidemiology and related areas, depth in an area of specialization; a set of methodological and conceptual skills, including formulation of key research questions and testable hypotheses, and the design and conduct of high-quality substance abuse epidemiology studies to test those hypotheses. Fellows will also learn to present their findings in professional contexts, to publish peer-reviewed manuscripts and write fundable grant proposals; to collaborate with others, and to receive training in the responsible conduct of research. This will be accomplished through academic courses at MSPH including a two-semester substance abuse epidemiology core sequence; a weekly faculty-fellow seminar in substance abuse epidemiology; mentoring and co-mentoring; field placements; opportunities for presentations; instruction and supervision in the preparation of manuscripts and grant proposals; other activities, e.g., Grand Rounds, leadership workshops, interaction with other training programs; and training in the responsible conduct of research. The program will begin with slots for 2 predoctoral fellows (Ph.D. candidates in epidemiology), and 2 postdoctoral fellows from relevant disciplines in Years 01 and 02, increasing to 3 and 3 in Year 03, following NIDA recommendations. The 25 internationally recognized faculty members have very strong track records in publishing, funding, and mentoring successful trainees. Trainees will be selected based on their interest in and commitment to substance abuse epidemiology, their prior accomplishments, and experience. Intensive recruitment efforts will be made to enroll and retain trainees from under-represented groups. The proposed training program will have a rigorous evaluation plan, including process and outcome measures. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Substance abuse epidemiology plays a critical role in public health by (a) indicating the magnitude and risk factors for substance abuse and related problems in different populations, (b) informing interventions to reduce the toll of substance abuse on individuals and society, and (c) indicating new directions for basic, clinical, and treatment research. To continue the epidemiologic research that is crucial to understanding the extent and causes of substance abuse in society, the next generation of substance abuse epidemiologists must be trained. The proposed program will take outstanding research and training resources at Columbia University, and for the first time, harness these resources into a unique program dedicated to the training of promising junior scientists for careers and leadership roles in the field of substance abuse epidemiology.