All first year QBS PhD students are required to enroll in the Quantitative Biomedical Sciences Journal Club except in the summer quarter; and it is encouraged that QBS PhD students attend this journal club in subsequent years. An essential element of scientific training is in the critical analysis and communication of experimental research in an oral format.
Fall: Epidemiology
Instructor: Dr. Janet Peacock
This course emphasizes critical evaluation of epidemiological studies and the development of effective presentation skills. Students will gain exposure to a breadth of epidemiological methodologies while examining classical and current epidemiological studies within public health and biomedical research. Class will meet weekly. Each week, all students will read one peer-reviewed, published study and an additional article or other paper for supplemental reading. One student will present on the published study, and we will all discuss the study as well as the relevance of the additional reading. Discussion will include an assessment of study components as related to study design, statistical analyses, inference and interpretation, bias, generalizability, and implications. Students will be asked to specifically discuss components of the study (e.g., to restate what one figure or table presents).
First-year doctoral students are required to present twice during the quarter.
Winter: Biostatistics
Instructors: Dr. Jiang Gui & Dr. Siming Zhao
This course discusses new findings and applications in biostatistics and data science. The goal of the course is to develop critical thinking in biostatistical methodology. Starting the second week of the term, students will present two related paper with an emphasis on biostatical methods and the rest of the class will submit a short written summary (1-2 pages) that covers the paper motivation, approach, results, strengths and weaknesses. During class, a student will give a 35-minute presentation on their papers followed by 10 minutes of class discussion. In addition to reading and summarizing their selected paper for the week, all students are expected review the two presented papers prior to class in order to participate in the discussion.
Spring: Bioinformatics - Digital Health
Instructors: Dr. Nicholas Jacobson & Dr. Lynn Fiellin
The critical analysis and communication of experimental research in both written and oral formats is an essential element of scientific training. Students in the spring QBS journal club will select recent papers in digital health, including topics such as digital interventions, wearable technology, and machine learning applications in healthcare, from a set of approved journals. Starting the second week of the term, students will read one of the selected papers per week and submit a short written summary (1-2 pages) that covers the paper’s motivation, approach, results, strengths, and weaknesses. During class, students will present their papers and facilitate discussion. In addition to reading and summarizing their selected paper for the week, all students are expected to review the presented papers prior to class. Time permitting, additional topics for group discussion related to publishing your own research will include journal selection, impact factors, the peer review process, and authorship criteria.
All (0.5 unit)