History of Epidemiology

This seminar course provides a survey of critical events in the development of epidemiology as a scientific discipline. It includes weekly interactive presentations by the course directors and guest faculty, and it encompasses key people, critical public health issues, and seminal writings that have helped to shape the discipline. Topics include John Snow's observations on the London cholera epidemic of 1854, the development of the polio vaccine, the central role of smoking in lung cancer, and the AIDS epidemic. Students enrolled for 2 units credit will be asked to prepare a short paper (approximately 2500-3000 words) on a relevant topic of their choosing and to provide a précis for the class (oral presentation or poster).