Public Health International Summer School

You will learn how to understand scientific evidence, identify the best evidence and implement it. You will also get an understanding of critical appraisal.

You will examine a range of study designs, sources of bias and examine the hierarchy of evidence.

You will be guided on how best to search for evidence that can be used for evidence-based practice, and will develop techniques with referencing software.

The sessions are a mix of computer workshops and classroom-based talks, with some more practical skills being developed as you work in groups.

Following your introduction to evidence, you will learn about conducting analysis of data.

You will be introduced to core statistical concepts and techniques that are essential for understanding, interpreting and undertaking biomedical research.

Sessions will demonstrate how powerful techniques can be used to investigate relationships between outcomes, patient characteristics and treatments, as well as making predictions about the prognosis of patients.

During these sessions you will have the chance to use the computer labs and will be guided through using biostatistics software which may be new to you.

You will also have the opportunity to run your own trial and discuss the methodological issues.

You will have the opportunity to look at key concepts of economic evaluation and the evidence base behind health economic practice.

You will examine the role that a rationalised health care system plays and how decisions based on the cost and clinical efficacy of treatment improve population health.

We will also set the scene for the practical application of equity on population health.

A wide variety of learning methods will be used to understand these key concepts and demonstrate their application in real-world settings.

Using social determinants of health, you will explore inequalities and how they impact on health outcomes across the life-course.

You will examine the principles and practice of good health promotion policies, and explore the importance of the Health in All Policies movement advocated by the World Health Organization.

We will look at interventions to help reduce inequalities and examine the evidence base for delivering these in different socio-economic settings.

You will examine culture, its impact on health and the potential impact of ‘culturally competent’ communities.

Through group work, discussions and interactive activities, you will look at cultural models, frameworks and policies in relation to your personal and professional practice with the aim of improving health and wellbeing outcomes.

You will have the opportunity to work alongside some of our academic and research staff within the Division of Population Health, Health Services Management and Primary Care.

This will allow you to see some of the projects that are being worked on first-hand and see where some of your learning is put into practice.