Research Training in the Epidemiology of Aging

描述（由申请人提供）：美国人口老龄化突出表明，需要增加对影响老年人的疾病和残疾的研究。该项目旨在培养在老年流行病学方面进行独立和原创性研究的博士后和博士生，重点是预防老年残疾和功能衰退。该计划强调四个广泛的实质性领域，其中计划教师具有老年学研究经验并正在进行项目：肌肉骨骼流行病学；神经;遗传流行病学;以及慢性病长期护理的流行病学研究。该培训计划旨在使学员能够：1)在老年流行病学的一级导师专家和流行病学方法和/或生物统计学的二级导师专家的监督下，为研究团队做出贡献；2)提出一个研究问题，阐明研究假设，并设计和执行一项流行病学研究来解决这些假设；3)成为至少一个与预防老年人残疾和功能衰退相关的实质性领域的专家；4)具有独立、原创的研究能力；5)有发表研究成果的经验；6)掌握流行病学、生物统计学等核心课程；7)了解衰老的基本生物学和社会心理过程；8)掌握负责任的研究原则；9)为过渡到老年流行病学的职业生涯做好准备。该项目位于马里兰大学巴尔的摩医学院流行病学和预防医学系（DEPM）。培训计划的主要优势包括：1)在老龄化研究、流行病学和生物统计学等实质性领域有经验丰富的导师；2)老龄化及相关领域的跨学科培训和研究机会较多；3)通过流行病学、老年学、物理康复学和药学卫生服务研究的博士课程获得研究生培训机会。项目主任因其在全国和UM系统内的领导能力而得到认可；因此，他在通过参与本地和全国的跨学科研究项目来促进学员发展方面处于非常有利的地位。该计划由一个外部咨询委员会指导，该委员会由全国公认的跨学科和老年学研究和培训专家组成。与公共卫生的相关性：寿命的延长导致人口中老年人的数量增加。这一培训计划的目的是准备科学家追求的主题是相关的了解老龄化人口的健康和功能状态。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aging of the United States population is highlighted by the need for increased research on diseases and disabilities that affect older persons. The objective of this program is to train pre- and postdoctoral students to conduct independent and original research in the epidemiology of aging, with an emphasis on the prevention of late life disability and functional decline. The program emphasizes four broad substantive areas in which program faculty have gerontologic research experience and are conducting ongoing projects: musculoskeletal epidemiology; neuroepidemiology; genetic epidemiology; and the epidemiologic study of long-term care for chronic diseases. The training program is designed to enable trainees to: 1) contribute to a research team under the supervision of a primary mentor expert in the epidemiology of aging and a secondary mentor expert in epidemiology methods and/or biostatistics; 2) develop a research question, articulate study hypotheses, and design and perform an epidemiologic study to address these hypotheses; 3) become expert in at least one substantive area relevant to the prevention of disability and functional decline in the elderly; 4) demonstrate the capacity to conduct independent, original research; 5) have experience in the presentation of research results; 6) have mastered a core curriculum in epidemiology and biostatistics; 7) be knowledgeable about the basic biological and psychosocial processes of aging; 8) master the principles of responsible conduct of research; and 9) be prepared for the transition to a career in the epidemiology of aging The program is located within the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (DEPM) of the University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine. Major strengths of the training program include: 1) the availability of experienced mentors in substantive areas of aging research, as well as epidemiology and biostatistics; 2) many interdisciplinary training and research opportunities in aging and related areas; and 3) graduate training opportunities through the Doctoral Programs in Epidemiology, Gerontology, Physical Rehabilitation Science, and Pharmaceutical Health Services Research. The program director is recognized for his leadership nationally and within the UM System; as such, he is in an excellent position to foster the development of trainees through participation in interdisciplinary research programs locally and nationally. The program is guided by an external advisory committee of nationally recognized experts in interdisciplinary and gerontological research and training. Relevance to Public Health: The increasing life span is leading to greater numbers of older persons I the population. This training program is designed to prepare scientist to pursue topics that are relevant for understanding the health and functional status of an aging population.