The purpose of the epidemiology course is to provide students with the knowledge and understanding of basic epidemiological principles and methods, as well as the analysis and interpretations of epidemiological data and recommendations for prevention and control of diseases. In addition to theoretical knowledge, the students should master the calculation and interpretation of measures of disease frequency in the population, analysis of epidemiological study design and different approaches to prevention. These aspects combined lead to the understanding of importance of epidemiological approach when studying etiology, prevention and control of diseases.
Theoretical hours cover areas related to the measurement of frequency of diseases in the population, specificity of national disease burden, demonstration of the most important characteristics of epidemiological methods including the concept of causality, epidemiological models and concepts of disease, epidemiological surveillance, outbreak investigation, prevention, hospital infections and the basics of clinical epidemiology.
During practical sessions students will learn to calculate and interpret indicators of disease severity in the population, analyze the design of various epidemiological studies, natural history of diseases, outbreak investigation, calculate and interpret screening tests as well as to understand basic principles of immunization.
The epidemiology course is taught by the following professors and teaching assistants at the Department of Epidemiology:
Prof. dr Tatjana Pekmezović
Prof. dr Sandra Grujičić
Prof. dr Darija Kisić Tepavčević
Prof. dr Jadranka Maksimović
Prof. dr Nataša Maksimović
Assoc. Prof. dr Isidora Vujčić
Asst. Prof. dr Tatjana Gazibara
Asst. Prof. dr Gorica Marić
Asst. Prof. dr Vuk Marušić
Asst. dr Aleksandra Nikolić
Asst. dr Vladimir Nikolić
Asst. dr Aleksa Jovanović
Organization of the Epidemiology syllabus
Epidmiology is taught over the course of two semesters on the third year of undergraduate integrated studies in medicine.
The total sum of classes is 55 (45+10). Three classes are taught per week over the course of 30 weeks in both semesters of the third year.
Types of classes
Lectures 16 hours
Seminars and practical sessions 29 hours
+
Seminars of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases 10 hours
Monitoring of the Epidemiology syllabus
Department of Epidemiology keeps records of all forms of teaching in Epidemiology through a written and digital protocol (Record book of classes and digital record). We also use paper files to track students' attendance and activity.
The presence of students in lectures, seminars and practical sessions are recorded in the paper file of each student. The student is entitled to two absences at practical sessions during the semester without having to attend make-ups. In case of a large number of missed classes (three or four), the student is required to pass an oral interrogation in the corresponding syllabus topic.
Syllabus schedule
Over the course of the entire semester two groups of students (similar to other subjects in the third year of integrated studies in medicine in English) will be having three hours of lectures, seminars and / or practical sessions each.
Exact schedule according to topics of lectures, seminars and/or practical sessions of Epidemiology will be posted before the start of classes in the school year.
Students are graded by summing points from the activity during school hours, (continuously during the entire semester), score at the mid-term quiz (organized in week 8 of the semester) and score at the final exam.
Points for activity during school hours will be obtained in seminars/practical sessions, as well as in lectures (a maximum of 6 points during semester).
Seminars
During epidemiology syllabus all students are required to prepare and present a seminar topic in front of the class.
Seminar topics
- Application of epidemiological methods in investigation of communicable diseases
- Application of epidemiological methods in investigation of non-communicable diseases
- Sources of data
- Burden of diseases
- Disaster epidemiology
Quiz
Over the course of the Epidemiology syllabus students are required to undergo written examination. The quiz, which is a written test, will be organized after 8 weeks of classes and will cover all the topics taught in the preceding period. The test consists of questions with multiple choice answers of which only one is correct.
Quiz scoring
The quiz consists of 30 questions and each correct answer is awarded 0.8 points. The minimum number of correct answers needed to pass the quiz is 51% of all the questions (16/30 correct answers or 12.8 points). The maximum score that can be obtained from the quiz is 24 points. In case of failing to pass the quiz, a student has the right to present himself/herself at the repeat testing. After repeat testing there will be no additional testing. Students who do not pass the quiz are eligible to take the final exam. The final score for the Epidemiology syllabus includes the score obtained from the quiz.
Final exam
The final exam is a written test. The test consists of 70 questions, each correct answer is awarded one point. Minimum of 36 points is required to pass the exam.
Final grade in Epidemiology syllabus
To successfully complete the Epidemiology syllabus, the final grade will be based on the sum of points obtained from activity in classes (maximum of 6 points), points from the quiz (maximum 24 points) and points obtained at the final exam (maximum 70 points).
The minimum score to pass the exam in Epidemiology is 51 points (out of 100).
To pass the exam in Epidemiology a student has to obtain at least 36 points at the final exam. Points for activity in classes are awarded only after the student passes the final exam (minimum 36 points) and has the minimum score to pass the Epidemiology exam (51 points). Points obtained from the activity in classes do not affect the minimum score required to pass the exam (51 points). Points for the activity in classes that will be added to the sum of scores at the quiz and final exam may, in some cases, increase the final grade.
Conversion of the total number of points to the final grade is done according to the following table:
|
FINAL GRADE |
FINAL GRADE |
|
(expressed as number of points out of maximum of 100) |
(expressed as a number from 5 to 10) |
|
≤ 50 |
5 (failed) |
|
51-60 |
6 |
|
61-70 |
7 |
|
71-80 |
8 |
|
81-90 |
9 |
|
91-100 |
10 |
1. Beaglehole R, Bonita R, Kjellstrom T. Basic Epidemiology. 2nd edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2007
2. Workbook of Practical Sessions in Epidemiology. Belgrade: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade; 2019.
Suggested Reading:
3. Gordis L. Epidemiology. 6th edition. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2018.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
(V and VI semesters)
5th semester
Topic
-Definition and scope of Epidemiology (1 hour)-lecture
-Leading causes of morbidity and mortality (1 hour)-lecture
-Measurement of Health and Disease (1 hour)-lecture
-Measurement of Health and Disease (1 hour)-practical
-Measurement of Health and Disease (1 hour)-practical
-Measurement of Health and Disease (1 hour)-practical
-Sources of data (1 hour)-lecture
-Sources of data (1 hour)-seminar
-Principles of prevention (1 hour)-lecture
-Causation in Epidemiology (1 hour)-lecture
-Disaster epidemiology (1 hour)-seminar
-Clinical Epidemiology (1 hour)-lecture
-Environmental epidemiology (1 hour)-seminar
-Burden of diseases (1 hour)-seminar
-Epidemiological models and concepts of disease (1 hour)-lecture
-Reservoirs and source of infection (1 hour)-lecture
-Modes of transmission of infectious diseases (1 hour)-lecture
-Natural history and spectrum of disease (1 hour)-practical
-Natural history and spectrum of disease (1 hour)-practical
-Prevention (1 hour)-practical
-Immunization (1 hour)-lecture
-Immunization (1 hour)-practical
-Immunization (1 hour)-seminar
-Surveillance (1 hour)-lecture
-Epidemics, endemics, pandemics (2 hours)-practical
-Hospital infections (1 hour)-lecture
-Hospital infections (2 hours)-practical
6th semester
Topic
-Descriptive studies (1 hour)-lecture
-Descriptive studies (1 hour)-practical
-Descriptive studies (1 hour)-practical
-Colloquium
-Analytic studies (1 hour)-lecture
-Analytical studies (1 hour)-practical
-Analytical studies (1 hour)-practical
-Experimental studies (1 hour)-lecture
-Experimental studies (1 hour)-practical
-Experimental studies (1 hour)-practical
-Outbreak investigation (1 hour)-lecture
-Outbreak investigation (2 hours)-practical
-Screening (1 hour)-lecture
-Screening (2 hours)-practical
-Application of epidemiological methods in investigation of communicable diseases (2 hours)- seminar
-Application of epidemiological methods in investigation of non-communicable diseases (2 hours)- seminar
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
-Epidemiology of enteric diseases (2 hours) - practical
-Epidemiology of respiratory diseases (2 hours) - practical
-Epidemiology of zoonoses (2 hours) - practical
-Epidemiology of arthropod-borne infections (2 hours) – practical
- Epidemiology of diseases transmitted by direct contact and STD (2 hours) - practical
-Colloquium
Course coordinator: Assist. Prof. dr Tatjana Gazibara
e-mail:
Course coordinator: tatjanagazibara@yahoo.com
Phone: +381 11 360 7062