NHLBI CVD EPIDEMIOLOGY & BIOSTATISTICS TRAINING PROGRAM

Abstract

The overall purpose of the program is to produce behavioral and medical scientists who can conduct interdisciplinary research aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease and improving population health. The training will be derived principally from direct research experience in an existing interdisciplinary research resource, the Stanford Prevention Research Center (SPRC). The SPRC offers epidemiological, community, behavioral, clinical, and laboratory studies for participation by trainees. SPRC research includes studies of the social and cultural determinants of health and disease, the influence of the built environment on health, obesity prevention and weight loss in youth and adults, smoking cessation methods, the role of tobacco marketing and other media influences on youth smoking initiation, the genetic epidemiology of cardiovascular disease, the inter-relationship of diet and exercise, lipid disorders, and obesity, nutrition intervention studies in adults and youth, exercise training for cardiovascular health and general well-being in older adults, and women's health. A program of directed study and data analysis and a core seminar series, required of each trainee, enhance the research training, as do selected opportunities for other course work, patient care, and teaching.

Postdoctoral trainees are closely supervised by the faculty and encouraged to publish three to six articles during their 1-3 years of training (average 2 years).

Trainee selection is based on interest in cardiovascular disease prevention, potential for an academic research career, and demonstrated excellence. Eight postdoctoral trainees will hold either the M.D. or Ph.D. degree. Physician trainees will generally enter with three years of clinical experience in medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, or preventive medicine. Physician trainees will be able to enroll in an M.S. Program in Clinical Epidemiology at Stanford or an M.P.H. program at U.C. Berkeley, with partial tuition support.

Areas of Special Emphasis

Cardiovascular disease prevention and epidemiology, community health education, applied health psychology and health communication, behavioral medicine, exercise physiology, nutrition, smoking, healthy aging, women's health, community-level intervention methods, research design, and biostatistics.

Type of Training: Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral

Key Faculty Available as Preceptors:

Last updated: January, 2007

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