EPIDCR-PHD - Epidemiology and Clinical Research (PhD)
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Program Overview
The PhD program in Epidemiology and Clinical Research provides methodologic and interdisciplinary training to equip students to conduct cutting-edge epidemiologic research and develop new methodology. The program trains students in the tools of modern epidemiology, with heavy emphasis on statistics, causal inference, computer science, genetics, genomics, and informatics. We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds.
Admissions Information
See the department’s website for additional information on the admissions process. Address inquiries to epiadmissions@stanford.edu.
Submit your application through the Stanford Graduate Admissions website.
Applications are evaluated based on the applicant’s commitment to and aptitude for a career in epidemiology as demonstrated via transcripts, statement of purpose, relevant work and research experience, and letters of recommendation. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional. Applicants from non-English speaking countries should provide evidence of competence in English on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). (Visit the Stanford Graduate Admissions webpage related to tests for additional information on Stanford University requirements regarding TOEFL.)
Required Supporting Documents (to be submitted in the Stanford Graduate Admissions Application)
Statement of Purpose that includes area(s) of interest
Three letters of recommendation
Official GRE General Test scores (optional)
Official TOEFL scores (if applicable)
Unofficial transcripts for all college/university degrees
CV with relevant work and research experience
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
3 quarters of EPI 236 are required. Students are encouraged to attend more.
2 units of EPI 246 are required. Enrollment in 2 quarters (for 1 unit each) may be required.
Any 200-level STATS course (other than STATS 260) will fulfill the requirement.
Note: If you are interested in another course, please check with the PhD program director or advisor to make sure that it is compatible with this requirement.
Students must take electives from at least three substantive content areas for a minimum of 9 units. Below are examples of different areas and a longer list of electives. Students should check with the PhD program director and/or their advisor to determine if other classes are compatible with this requirement.
Examples of areas/specializations (other courses/areas can qualify)
Example set 1:
Global Health
course: Practical Approaches to Global Health Research (IPS 290, MED 226)
Genetic Epidemiology
course: Genetic Epidemiology (GENE 230)
course: Genomic Approaches to the Study of Human Disease
Cancer Epidemiology
course: Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention
Example set 2:
Pharmacoepidemiology
GENE 224/BIOMEDIN 224: Principles of Pharmacogenomics
Social and Behavioral Epidemiology
course: Social Epidemiology
Community-based participatory research
course: The Science of Community Engagement in Health Research
course: Community-Based Participatory Research for Health
course: Methods in Community Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
EPI 297 is highly recommended.
Students are free to take any additional courses to reach the university degree requirement of 135 after completing the required coursework above.
Epidemiology PhD students must pass the Preliminary Written Exams and the Oral Qualifying Exam before being admitted to candidacy. Please see Admission to Candidacy for information and form.
Preliminary Written Exams
Doctoral students in Epidemiology and Clinical Research must complete and pass the Preliminary Written Exam given in the winter term of their second year of full-time enrollment in the program. This evaluation is designed to examine students’ ability to apply fundamental epidemiologic and biostatistical principles and methods based on knowledge from the core courses listed below:
course: Introduction to Epidemiologic and Clinical Research Methods
course: Intermediate Epidemiologic and Clinical Research Methods
course: Advanced Epidemiologic Methods
course: Foundations of Statistical and Scientific Inference (STATS 264)
course: Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Epidemiology
course: Intermediate Biostatistics: Analysis of Discrete Data (BIOMEDIN 233, STATS 261)
course: Intermediate Biostatistics: Regression, Prediction, Survival Analysis
Each year, the exam will be written by a subcommittee composed of the Epidemiology Program core faculty. Clarifying questions should be directed to the faculty subcommittee organizing the exam that year. Details of the exam, including the timing and process for any given year (e.g., exam dates, faculty contact), will be in a separate document produced each year.
Every member of the faculty subcommittee will independently evaluate each exam and be blind to student identity during grading. The subcommittee will then convene and discuss student responses (still blinded) and come to consensus on the overall outcome for each student.
The exam will take place over two consecutive days.
On the first day, a two-part exam totaling six hours will be administered with a one-hour break between the morning (closed book) and afternoon (open book) sections. The closed book portion will test core epidemiologic concepts. The open book portion will involve answering open-ended, comprehensive questions comparable to those from exams in the core courses.
On the second day, students will be provided with the take-home portion of the exam. This will require in-depth thinking and may include content such as short essay questions, study design, and/or a mock peer review of a journal article. Students will have from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to complete the exam.
For the exam's open book and take-home components, students may use any available materials but cannot discuss the exam with each other or anyone else.
Oral Qualifying Exam
Epidemiology PhD students must pass the Oral Qualifying Exam before being admitted to candidacy. Students must demonstrate adequate knowledge of epidemiology and related fields and the potential to conduct and present original research.
Timing of the Oral Exam:
Students should take their Oral Qualifying Exam by the end of autumn quarter of Year 3 of their PhD career. To be eligible to take the exam, students must have:
Passed the preliminary examination (typically given in the winter quarter of Year 2, with some flexibility in timing if needed for individual students)
Identified a Primary Research Advisor who is affiliated with EPH and is willing to supervise the student’s PhD program and dissertation
Completed the entire epidemiology PhD core curriculum
Maintained a Stanford graduate GPA of at least 3.0
Purpose of the Exam:
The Oral Qualifying exam has several goals:
To encourage students to review and synthesize their graduate learning
To ensure that the student has adequate breadth and depth of knowledge in epidemiology and related fields
To determine whether the student has sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge of the dissertation topic, including, where relevant, a clear understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease under investigation
To determine whether the student has adequate analytic and communication skills to be a successful PhD student and independent scholar
To identify potential areas of weakness that the student may need to strengthen before graduation
Logistics of the Oral Exam:
The exam consists of two parts: A public presentation and a closed-door session.
1. Public Presentation: The student will give a 20-minute talk (open to faculty and students), followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer session. The talk should focus on a particular research project the student intends to include as part of their doctoral thesis. Typically, the thesis consists of three research papers. The talk should focus on one of these. The research does not have to be completed but may be planned or in progress.
2. Closed-Door Session: The closed-session oral exam will last up to 1.5 hours, during which time the student will answer additional questions posed by the committee members. The session is closed-book with no notes allowed. Students can prepare a handful of extra slides (maximum of 10) for complex figures or diagrams to aid in conversation during the examination. Questions should probe the students’ breadth and depth of knowledge in the examination area and their ability to apply it to specific problems. The research advisor should refrain from responding to questions for candidate from other committee members so as not to act as an advocate or interpreter.
Evaluation:
Committee members will evaluate students on the following elements:
1. Depth of knowledge in their examination area (e.g., neuroepidemiology, biostatistics)
2. Breadth of knowledge in their examination area
3. Ability to apply their knowledge to specific problems
4. Analytic abilities (the ability to reason logically and “think on their feet” when given challenging questions)
5. Communication skills (as evidenced by their written proposal, public talk, and spoken answers to questions).
The final dissertation defense is scheduled after the student has completed a pre-final draft of the dissertation that the Primary Research Advisor has approved. University requirements specify the composition of the defense committee and the dissertation defense format. Detailed guidelines can be found here: https://gap.stanford.edu/handbooks/gap-handbook/chapter-4/subchapter-7
The student should provide the approved draft to the entire Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee at least two weeks before the scheduled defense.
The same Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee that administered the Oral Qualifying Examination may also serve as the student’s final dissertation committee. However, changes are permitted. In addition, per university requirements, students must appoint an out-of-department examination chair. All committee members are usually the Stanford University Academic Council members, and the majority must be current or emeritus Academic Council members. The appointment of an examiner, not a current or emeritus member of the Academic Council, will require approval from the department chair.
The defense consists of two parts:
1. Public Seminar: The student will give a 30-minute talk open to faculty and students, followed by a 15-minute question and answer session.
2. Closed-Door Session: The closed session will be at least 90 minutes, during which the student will answer additional questions posed by the committee members.
Dissertations can be any combination of substantive, methodologic, or theoretical topics as long as they fall under the student’s area of specialty or are linked by a common methodologic approach. There must be some substantive methodologic innovation in at least one part of the dissertation. Two formats are accepted: The candidate can prepare three papers for publication linked by an articulated theoretical perspective and substantive areas. Alternatively, the candidate can prepare a traditional dissertation (including sections on problem formulation, theory, hypotheses, methods, data analysis, findings, and study implications).
Note: Students must apply to graduate and enroll before accessing the eDissertation/eThesis Center in Axess.
The edissertation/eThesis Center is open to submissions on the first day of instruction each quarter for which the student has applied to graduate. Dissertation deadlines are strictly enforced. No exceptions are made. The final dissertation with all required signatures must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar by noon on the final submission deadline date. The final reader must also approve the eDissertation by the published deadline. The deadline is set as late in the quarter as possible, providing the time necessary for the review of the dissertation and final degree requirements by the Registrar’s Office and the department. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their dissertations at least two weeks before this deadline to ensure that all requirements can be met in time for the conferral of the degree. No further changes are permitted once a student submits the required copies of their dissertation to the Stanford University Registrar’s Office.