Session'1:'Introduction'to'Public'Health'and

Epidemiology
'
Dr'Clarence'Tam'(clarence_tam@nuhs.edu.sg)
Saw'Swee'Hock'School'of'Public'Health
National'University'of'Singapore
'
SPH2101:'Public'Health'and'Epidemiology

WHO WE ARE
Lecturers:
Dr Clarence Tam (module organiser)
Dr Hanh La
Dr Raymond Lim
Prof Rob van Dam
TAs:
Zaw Myo Tun
Nivedita Shankar
Marina Binti Zahari
Nahal Haghbin
Mabel Low

OUR RESEARCH GROUP

http://blog.nus.edu.sg/singaporesling/

twitter: @nus_sling
#

WHAT TO EXPECT
An overview of the epidemiology of major public health issues
An understanding of epidemiological concepts and methods
An appreciation of how epidemiology is used to provide evidence for
public health practice
An understanding of how epidemiological studies are conducted, their
strengths and limitations
An ability to critically evaluate the medical and public health literature
A broader interest in how public health impacts our lives
A greater awareness of public health, as members of society, as future
practitioners of public health (?)

MINOR IN PUBLIC HEALTH

Essen%al(Modules((12MC)
1. GEK1900/ GEH1049 Public Health
in Action
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)

2. Any of the following modules

BN2102 Bioengineering Data
Analysis
DSC2008 Business Analytics
Data and Decisions
EC2303 Foundations for
Econometrics
PR1142 Pharmaceutical
Statistics
PR2103 Pharmacostatistics
SC3209 Data Analysis in Social
Research
ST1131 Introduction to
Statistics
ST1232 Statistics for Life
Sciences
ST2334 Probability and
Statistics
3. SPH2101 Public Health and
Epidemiology

Elec%ve(Modules
(12MC,(of(which(8MC(level:3000)
Determinants
(at(least(4MC)

Approaches(and(Methods
(at(least(4MC)

SPH2102 Lifestyle, Behaviour

and Public Health

SPH2103 Systems and Policies to

improve Health

SPH2104 Public Health

Nutrition

SPH2105 Introduction to Global

Health

SPH3104 Infectious disease

epidemiology and public health

SPH2106 Health in the Later Years

ENV2103 Environment and

Public Health
SC2211 Medical Sociology

SPH3101 Biostatistics for Public

Health
SPH3102 Public Health
Communication
SPH3109 Designing Public Health
Programmes
SPH3201 Public Health Practice
PR3144 Principles of Research
Methods

SPH2201 Health of the Poor in Asia new!

SPH3103 Public Health Economics
#

For more information about the minor or modules, please visit:

http://www.sph.nus.edu.sg/index.php/education/ug/phminor

Modules Offered in AY2015/2016

SEMESTER 1

SEMESTER 2

GEK1900/ GEH1049 Public Health in

Action

GEK1900/ GEH1049 Public Health in

Action

SPH2101 Public Health and

Epidemiology

SPH2101 Public Health and

Epidemiology

SPH2102 Lifestyle, Behaviour and

Public Health

SPH2103 Systems and Policies to

improve Health

SPH2105 Introduction to Global

Health

SPH2104 Public Health Nutrition

SPH2106 Health in Later Years

SPH2105 Introduction to Global

Health

SPH3101 Biostatistics for Public

Health
SPH3104 Infectious Disease
Epidemiology and Public Health

SPECIAL TERM
3/4
SPH2201 Health of the Poor in Asia
Likely destination: Vellore, India
Offered under FASStrack Asia The
Summer School
Application Period: December to
March
More details available from Oct/ Nov:
www.fas.nus.edu.sg/fasstrack

SPH3102 Public Health

Communication
SPH3103 Public Health Economics

SPH3201 PUBLIC HEALTH FIELD PRACTICE

1.
2.

Application opens in Oct 15 and close in 1.

mid-Nov 15
2.
Module results are released in AY16/17
Semester 1 (CS/CU)

Interviews are held in Jan 16

1.
Successful students will be allocated the
module at 30G points for Sem 2 AY15/16

Attachment will start in early May to

late Jul/ early Aug.

SSHSPH is offering GEK1900/GEH1049,

SPH2101, SPH2102, SPH2105, SPH2106 &
SPH3104
If you have not obtained the module(s) you want, please send
your appeal via CORS (on 13 Aug) through your home faculty.
Please use the appropriate Appeal type:
Appeal
Code

Appeal Title

Handled By

Appeal Purpose

H002

Unable to secure module for

graduation this semester (Only
available after bidding round
3B ends)

Student Home
Faculty

This appeal is for students in their final

semester who have been unsuccessful in
bidding for those module(s) that are
essential for their graduation in this current
semester.

H005

Unable to secure module (Only

available after bidding round
3B ends)

Student Home
Faculty

This appeal is for students who were unable

to secure module(s) during bidding rounds.

The outcome of the appeals will be known AFTER your home

faculty have assessed and forward your appeal to us for
consideration.
For further queries, please send to: UGHelp_SPH@nus.edu.sg
#

SPH2101: CHANGES FROM LAST SEMESTER

More focus on specific public health issues, less technical

More hands-on
Each session focuses on a public health topic
We introduce epidemiological concepts applied to that topic
Semester-long randomised controlled trial
Outbreak investigation

RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL

You will all take part in this study

You should have received instructions through IVLE
Please complete questionnaire ASAP
You will then be allocated at random to intervention and
control groups
Trial lasts for 8 weeks
Second questionnaire after 8 weeks + quiz
Will be discussing data from the trial in the last session
Counts 10% towards final mark

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION
We will allocate you to groups of ~6 people
You will work in your groups on this assignment during
allocated sessions
Each group will write a written report at the end (more
instructions later on)
Group mark - counts 30% towards final mark
Will start in Week 5

TEXTBOOK
Essential Epidemiology: An Introduction for Students and Health
Professionals (2nd Edition). Penny Webb and Chris Bain. Cambridge
Medicine (2011).
This is available as an e-book from the NUS library
Pre-reading will be provided before each session as necessary

Questions / concerns?
Post questions on IVLE
E-mail:

sph2101@gmail.com