About the Department
Strategic Plan Summary 2008-2010
I. VISION STATEMENT
The Department of Epidemiology will be an academic and public resource for measurement and improvement of human health. The Department will accomplish this by examining public health priorities and by striving to meet needs through teaching, research and service activities in concert with College of Public Health Departments and other collegiate programs, and public health entities. The future of the Department includes vigilance of health priorities, maintenance of methodological expertise in epidemiology, innovative research in disease causation and intervention, and education of future epidemiologists.
II. MISSION STATEMENT
The Department of Epidemiology strives to improve public and personal health by preparing students for careers that require specialized knowledge of epidemiologic theories, methods, and analytic techniques; by conducting innovative research addressing the magnitude, determinants, and prevention of disease and its consequences and in health promotion and evaluation; and by providing education, consultation and collaboration with public health and other programs. The Department seeks to develop a nationally recognized program that has strong research funding, educates researchers and public health practitioners and collaborates with clinicians and public health agencies in the measurement and evaluation of health status and prevention effectiveness.
III. CORE VALUES
The Department of Epidemiology endorses and complies with the Core Values of the College of Public Health.
A. Overall Goals
The Department of Epidemiology’s goals are to
Goal 1: Educate highly competent and committed public health professionals and research scientists in Epidemiology.
Goal 2: Conduct innovative and significant epidemiological research with high impact.
Goal 3: Promote service and collaboration with the research and practice community.
Goal 4: Increase public health knowledge and infrastructure.
Goal 5: Enhance diversity of students, staff, faculty, and alumni.
Goal 6: Enhance collaboration with internal and external groups and agencies.
Goal 7: Become a leading Department of Epidemiology.
In the next three years the Department of Epidemiology strives to become a leading academic and research program in epidemiology in the U.S. and to increase its role in public health. In order to accomplish this goal the Department needs to augment its successful research program by adding more faculty in areas of high public health impact (cancer, infectious disease and injuries) and in areas where the Department has a shortage of faculty (molecular epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, health services epidemiology, environmental epidemiology and occupational epidemiology). Expansion of the teaching mission to public health practitioners requires changes in teaching methods and establishment of distance learning with a regional view. With the expanded role in public health, the Department seeks to broaden collaborative efforts with the Iowa Department of Public Health, county health departments and other public health organizations in the region through education, evaluation and consultation.