Up to five AREF Scholarships are available to pay for fees, accommodation, and reasonable travel. The scholarships will be awarded only to applicants whom the course leaders identify as meeting the eligibility. Also,  quality criteria for acceptance to the course. Further, focus on the design and interpretation of epidemiological studies. The course is by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the scholarship is by Africa Research Excellence Fund.

Epidemiological research is an important tool to assess health effects in populations. It can be to optimize disease surveillance, facilitate outbreak investigation. Also, provide vital evidence for the evaluation of changes in health policy. This is a concentrated three-week course which will take students through from the basic principles of epidemiology up to the application of statistical methods, such as logistic regression using Stata software.

During the three weeks, students will learn about the design and interpretation of epidemiological studies. Further,  the statistical methods that underpin many of the founding principles. Much of the content corresponds with that which is taught during the internationally MSc Epidemiology. At the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). This short course is to be an intensive introduction to epidemiology and medical statistics. At the end of the three weeks, students will understand the common pitfalls with study design. They will be able to choose the most appropriate analytical methods to verify stated hypotheses and feel to undertake basic statistical analysis using Stata software.

This course has been running in London since the 1980s, but for the first time in 2019 will take place at the MRC Unit in The Gambia (“The Unit”), which hosts various short courses on a regular basis.

AREF-Sponsored Scholarships are available for an Introductory Course in Epidemiology & Medical Statistics (The Gambia)

Eligibility

• Open to clinicians and other graduates who work in medical research units, academic departments or health services
• Also, no previous formal training in epidemiology or statistics
• Good command of the English Language

AREF will give priority to

• Further, Current and previous AREF Fellows and Workshop participants who demonstrate a compelling plan for applying new learning gained from the course
• Ensuring equitable access for women and men, and for applicants from relatively disadvantaged research-settings.