University of Calgary : Community Health Sciences MDCH

Community Health Sciences MDCH

MDCH 600 602 603 604 605 610 611 612 626 627 628 629 630 631 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 649 660 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 680 681 683 687 689 700 710 720 730 740 741 742 760 761 780

For more information about these courses, see the Cumming School of Medicine: cumming.ucalgary.ca/.

Community Health Sciences 600

Introduction to Community Health Sciences

An introduction to the Department as well as a general orientation to the education and research programs in Community Health.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences or Public Health and Preventative Medicine program or Mathematics and Statistics graduate program (Biostatistics specialization) or consent of the Community Health Sciences graduate program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 600 and Medical Science 644 will not be allowed.
NOT INCLUDED IN GPA

Community Health Sciences 602

Practicum in Public Health and Preventative Medicine

Clinical or field-based practicum for the Master of Community Medicine Program of the Community Health Sciences graduate program.
Course Hours: 3 units; (1-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Community Medicine specialization or the Public Health and Preventative Medicine program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 602 and Medical Science 649.01 will not be allowed.
NOT INCLUDED IN GPA

Community Health Sciences 603

Practicum in Health Care Epidemiology

Clinical or field-based practicum for the Health Care Epidemiology specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program.
Course Hours: 3 units; (1-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program’s Health Care Epidemiology specialization.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 603 and Medical Science 649.02 will not be allowed.
NOT INCLUDED IN GPA

Community Health Sciences 604

Practicum in Community Health Sciences

Clinical or field-based practicum for students in any specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program.
Course Hours: 3 units; (1-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 604 and Medical Science 649.03 will not be allowed.
NOT INCLUDED IN GPA

Community Health Sciences 605

Introduction to Biostastical Methods

Analysis and design of research related to biological sciences. Emphasis is placed upon formulating good research questions, evaluating the appropriateness of different statistical methods for analyzing results, and performing and interpreting such statistical analyses. Statistical analyses will be carried out using modern statistical software.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1T)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the Cumming School of Medicine.
Also known as: (Veterinary Medicine 605)

Community Health Sciences 610

Biostatistics I: Essentials of Biostatistics

Introduces the fundamental concepts of summarizing data and statistical inference, including graphical displays, hypothesis testing, p-values, and confidence intervals. Specific topics include comparisons of means and proportions, non-parametric tests, correlation and regression, confounding, sample size determination, and power calculations. Additional topics include a brief introduction to analysis of variance and covariance, logistic regression, and analysis of time-to-event data. Students gain hands-on experience analyzing data using STATA statistical software. Although this course uses STATA exclusively, much of the technical knowledge and some of the computing techniques are applicable to any statistical package.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-2T)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or Public Health and Preventative Medicine program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 610 and Medical Science 643.01 will not be allowed.
Also known as: (Veterinary Medicine 610)

Community Health Sciences 611

Biostatistics II: Models for Health Outcomes

Extends the fundamental concepts to modelling health outcomes using modern regression analysis techniques. Logistic and linear regressions, and their extensions, are covered in detail. The rationale, formulation, and statistical assumptions underlying each regression technique are discussed. Methods for selecting and assessing models are included. Additional topics include a brief introduction to models used in the analysis of repeated measures, longitudinal studies, and time-to-event data. STATA statistical software is used to analyze data. Required course for Biostatistics and Epidemiology specializations.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-2T)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 610 or Medical Science 643.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 611 and Medical Science 643.02 will not be allowed.
Also known as: (Veterinary Medicine 611)

Community Health Sciences 612

Biostatistics III: Models for Repeated Measures Studies and Time-to-Events Studies

Discusses techniques for analyzing data collected at more than one point in time (repeated measures) and time-to-event (survival) data. Topics include generalized linear models (GLM), generalized additive models (GAM), Poisson regression, generalized estimating equations (GEE), and proportional hazards regression with time-varying covariates. STATA statistical software is used to analyze data.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-2T)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program and Community Health Sciences 611 or Medical Science 643.02 or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences and Medical Science 643.03 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 626

Meta-Analysis/Systematic Review in Medical Education

To become familiar with the theory, research, and application of meta-analysis/systematic review as it applies to the compilation of studies in education and health care with a focus on the discipline of medicine education. In particular, an emphasis will be placed on the principles of using statistical methods and techniques related to synthesizing studies in the measurement of a pre-determined and appropriate topic of interest to the participant.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Medical Education specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 626 and Medical Science 738 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 627

Medical Education Assessment and Measurement

Approaches to assessment and measurement within the context of competency-based medical education.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Medical Education Specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 627 and Medical Science 739 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 628

Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Design

Overview of context in which medicine is taught and learned, the theory related to learning and change, the key elements of curriculum design and evaluation, and examine traditional and innovative methods used to enhance student and practitioner knowledge, skills and attitudes.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Medical Education Specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 628 and any of Community Health Sciences 623, 624 and 625 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 629

Foundations of Practice and Science in Medical Education

Foundational academic concepts in the science of medical education including an overview of the philosophy of science, history of medical education and medical education scholarship along with fundamental concepts in medical education scholarship such as ethics and professionalism, critical appraisal and academic leadership.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Medical Education Specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.

Community Health Sciences 630

Designing Medical Education Research

Why and how of research in medical education including core components of research, ethical issues, project management, the research proposal, reviewing the literature, data collection and analysis, reports and dissemination.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Medical Education Specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Also known as: (formerly Community Health Sciences 621)

Community Health Sciences 631

Implementation of Medical Education Research

Technical aspects of conducting a study including writing questions, selecting methods that are aligned with the research questions and approaches to analyzing quantitative and qualitative data.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Medical Education Specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.

Community Health Sciences 640

Fundamentals of Epidemiology

Principles and methods of descriptive and analytic epidemiology. Emphasizes the underlying concepts and approaches of epidemiological research and critical appraisal of epidemiologic studies including: observational study designs and their vulnerabilities to bias, measures of frequency and association, basic methods for addressing sampling variability, confounding, and effect modification. Concepts related to causal judgment in epidemiology are also introduced.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-2T)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or Public Health and Preventative Medicine program, or Mathematics and Statistics graduate program (Biostatistics specialization), or consent of the Community Health Sciences graduate program.
Corequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 610 (except for graduate students in the Community Health Sciences or Mathematics and Statistics graduate programs with a specialization in Biostatistics).
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 640 and Medical Science 647.01 will not be allowed.
Also known as: (Veterinary Medicine 640)

Community Health Sciences 641

Introduction to Clinical Trials

An introduction to methodological issues in the design and conduct of randomized controlled trials. Topics include ethics, blinding, randomization, sample size determination, sequential designs, data monitoring, and the logistical and organizational aspects of single centre and multi-centre trials.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program and Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 or Medical Science 643.01 and 647.01 or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 641 and Medical Science 659.04 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 642

Psychiatric Epidemiology

An overview of the context, principles and methods of psychiatric epidemiology. Basic concepts of bias and random error will be applied specifically to problems encountered in conducting psychiatric epidemiological studies. An additional objective is for students to gain a basic understanding of psychiatric terminology and nosology, including a basic understanding of the clinical features of major diagnostic categories.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.

Community Health Sciences 643

Research in Health Care Epidemiology and Infection Control

Focus on research in healthcare epidemiology with particular emphasis on Infection Prevention and Control. Research aspects of healthcare epidemiology, including epidemiologic and biostatistical techniques and their application in various healthcare environments will be presented. Topics will include surveillance, quantitative and qualitative methods, economic analyses, behaviour change, developing and assessing education programs and ethical practice.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 643 and Medical Science 647.07 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 644

Surveillance I: Data Handling for Infection Control

Focuses on the skills needed for data handling related to Infection Control in various settings. The primary aims are: (1) to develop the skills to properly manage data using various tools and technology; (2) to use basic statistical tools to analyze data used in Infection control; (3) to properly interpret and draw appropriate conclusions from data used in infection control.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 644 and Medical Science 647.10 will not be allowed.
Notes: This is an online course.

Community Health Sciences 645

Surveillance II: Principles of Surveillance

Focuses on the practice of surveillance for Infection Prevention and Control in various settings. The primary aims are: (1) to be able to base surveillance on an appropriate rationale; (2) to understand and use various methods of surveillance; (3) to make recommendations and follow up on the results of surveillance; (4) to be able to evaluate a surveillance program and incorporate into quality improvement.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 644 or Medical Science 647.10 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 645 and Medical Science 647.11 will not be allowed.
Notes: This is an online course.

Community Health Sciences 646

Introduction to Public Health Surveillance

Surveillance is a public health function. Topics included in this online course include definition and overview of public health surveillance, indicators, frameworks and principles for the planning and evaluation of surveillance systems; analysis and interpretation of surveillance data; communication of public health information; and legal and ethical issues relevant to surveillance systems.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 or Medical Science 643.01 and 647.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 646 and Medical Science 647.12 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 647

Clinical Epidemiology

Designed for students who have some familiarity and experience in epidemiology, biostatistics and who have a background in clinical health care or related field. It focuses on the application of epidemiologic methods to clinical health issues.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 or Medical Science 643.01 and 647.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program with a clinical background or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 647 and Medical Science 647.15 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 648

Online Basic Infection Control

Focuses on providing novice Infection Control Professionals (ICPs) with the basic knowledge, tools and strategies needed to do Infection control in a board range of health care environments from health care institutions to the community. The purpose of this entry to practice course is (1) to identify and describe the scope of infection prevention and control problems and issues for novice ICPs and (2) to examine and integrate their current expertise with the basic knowledge, tools and strategies needed to examine problems and develop practical solutions in Infection Control.
Course Hours: 6 units; (3-1.5)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 648 and Medical Science 660 will not be allowed.
Notes: This is an online course.

Community Health Sciences 649

Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Focuses on the principles of epidemiology that are of particular relevance to infectious diseases. The course emphasizes the research aspects of infectious diseases epidemiology and how the basic techniques of epidemiology and biostatistics are applied in the communicable diseases.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Also known as: (Medical Science 613.01)

Community Health Sciences 660

Foundations of Health Services Research

An introduction to the fundamental concepts of health services research including topics related to health systems and methods in health services research, as well as evaluation of health systems performance, with emphasis on knowledge translation and health policy creation and analysis.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 660 and Medical Science 645.18 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 661

Health Economics I

Application of basic concepts from economics to examination of health and health care policy issues, such as why we have the kind of health-care system we have, various aspects of health care reform, promotion of health, and evaluation of interventions.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 661 and Medical Science 679 will not be allowed.
Also known as: (Economics 679)

Community Health Sciences 662

Economic Evaluation

Designed for students interested in being able to critically interpret economic evaluation studies of health or health care interventions and beyond. The aim of the course is to introduce students to the concepts and methods of economic evaluation, provide an introduction to how it may serve as a useful tool in health and health care decision-making, and to enable students to critically appraise the economic evaluation literature.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 662 and Medical Science 659.08 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 663

Decision Analysis in Health Economic

Students will be introduced to the concepts of decision analysis and how it may serve as a useful tool in health care economics evaluation. Through attention to a clinical question or health care policy issue, students will develop the skills necessary to perform an economic evaluation to address it.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-2)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 662 or Medical Science 659.08 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 663 and Medical Science 659.06 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 664

Administrative Data Analysis Methodology

Administrative data have been used widely for decision making and research. Analysis of the data requires knowledge of the data features and unique analytical skills since the data are not collected for research purposes. This course is designed to provide these skills. Through analyzing available administrative data, students will write manuscripts suitable for publications at peer-reviewed journals.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Minimum grade of "B+" in Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 or Medical Science 643.01 and 647.01 and consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 664 and Medical Science 659.07 will not be allowed.
Notes: Consent of the program must be obtained by September 30.

Community Health Sciences 665

Leadership in Health Care Organizations

A foundation for developing management and leadership skills in health care organizations. The curriculum includes: fundamentals of leadership; formal and informal components of organizations; strategic, operational, financial and project planning; managing change and conflict; human resources; and evaluating organizational performance. A variety of learning opportunities are incorporated including: reading materials, student seminars, self-assessment tools, case studies, team assignments, guest speakers and class discussion.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 665 and Medical Science 645.10 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 666

Health Policy

An advanced level course focused on developing and deepening participants' understanding of critical policy issues affecting health and health services. The course will primarily review health policy in the context of Canadian populations and systems. However, a more global comparative frame of reference will be used to test, challenge and contrast both the historical and current underpinnings of health policy in Canadian jurisdictions.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 666 and Medical Science 645.15 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 667

Introduction to the Legal and Ethical Framework of Health Care in Canada

An introduction to two integrated aspects of health care in Canada: the legal dimensions and the ethical dimensions. No formal background or training in law or ethics is presupposed. Successful students will gain grounding in the ethico-legal complexity of health care and health research in Canada.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 667 and Medical Science 645.17 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 680

Foundations of Population/Public Health

Students will learn, discuss, and interrogate foundational content in population health and public health. Foundational content includes history, structure, functions, concepts, theories, and debates. The course is structured with the first half focusing on public health and the second half focusing on population health.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3S-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or Public Health and Preventative Medicine program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 680 and Medical Science 651.04 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 681

Health Research Methods

Introduction to health research, including research design, measurement, data collection, proposal and grant writing.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-2T)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 610 or Medical Science 643.01 and admission to in the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 681 and Medical Science 659.02 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 683

Introduction to Qualitative Health Research for the Health Sciences

A focus on understanding and appraising published examples of qualitative research on health topics as well as analyzing qualitative findings in health research. The importance of both methods and theories for ensuring rigor will be emphasized. Examples of relevance to people’s experiences of health, illness and health care as well as the social and structural determinants of health will be considered.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 683 and Medical Science 659.05 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 687

Environmental Health

Examination of the interaction between natural and man-made environments in human health/illness.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or the Public Health and Preventative Medicine program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 687 and Medical Science 651.06 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 689

Global Health and Development

An examination of health, the determinants of health, and approaches to health policy and programming in the context of less developed country populations. The course provides an overview of the history and evolution of primary health care and the role of health in development and examines current trends and issues related to global development. Cross-cutting themes include: international perspectives and trends in health sector reform, globalization, policy programming and financing, public participation in decision making, governance, health human resources, gender, human rights, partnerships and information-education-communication among others.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 689 and Medical Science 651.08 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 700

Community Health Directed Study

Independent study in special topics at an advanced level in Community Health Sciences.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the program.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Community Health Sciences 710

Advanced Topics in Biostatistics

Advanced topics and methods used in biostatistics.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 710 and Medical Science 712.01 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 720

Pro Doctoral Seminar

Pertinent topics discussed to prepare students for thesis preparation.
Course Hours: 3 units; (2-3)

Community Health Sciences 730

Doctoral Medical Education Research Seminar

An exploration of medical education research as an emerging field with multiple overlapping discourses, methods, philosophies, and ideologies.
Course Hours: 6 units; (3S-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Medical Education Specialization in the PhD program in Community Health Sciences.

Community Health Sciences 740

Advanced Epidemiology

Expands understanding of epidemiological research methods such as the assessment and management of threats to validity and approaches to causal assessment. Topics include handling of large data files, management of design effects, data linkage, identification and control of confounding, prevention of systematic and random (e.g. Type I, Type II) error, and addressing the problems associated with missing data. Exposure to generalized linear models, time to event models (including competing causes), generalized estimating equations, and mixed models. Includes an introduction to causal graphs, counterfactual reasoning, prediction, sample size calculations, risk-set sampling and meta-analysis.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-2T)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 640 or Medical Science 647.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 740 and Medical Science 709 will not be allowed.
Also known as: (Veterinary Medicine 740)

Community Health Sciences 741

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis

An exposure to all steps involved in the conduct of a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 610 or Medical Science 643.01 and Community Health Sciences 640 or Medical Science 647.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program, or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 741 and Medical Science 711 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 742

Advanced Topics in Epidemiology

Advanced topics and methods used in Epidemiology.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 640 or Medical Science 647.01 and consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 742 and Medical Science 712.02 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 760

Advanced Topics in Health Services Research

Advanced topics and methods used in health services research.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 660 or Medical Science 645.18 and consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 760 and Medical Science 712.03 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 761

Advanced Methods in Health Research

Advanced health research designs and measurement techniques.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 681 or Medical Science 659.02 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program, or consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 761 and Medical Science 705 will not be allowed.

Community Health Sciences 780

Advanced Topics in Population/Public Health

Advanced topics and methods used in population/public health.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Community Health Sciences 680 or Medical Science 651.04 and consent of the program.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Community Health Sciences 780 and Medical Science 712.04 will not be allowed.

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