[Epidemiology in the study of human ecology - concept and evaluation of a seminar]

To assure proper methodology in medical studies epidemiology is the crucial profession. Medical students become acquainted with epidemiology within the course on human ecology. One year ago our department had the opportunity to assume the responsibility of this epidemiological seminar and to establish an activating teaching concept.

In a two hour lecture, types of epidemiologic studies, their application, typical measures, strengths and limitations are illustrated on actual examples. The basic concepts of bias, confounding and causal inference are introduced. In a two hour seminar the students read and discuss primary literature on the question "Do allergic diseases increase?" in small groups. The students present the answers on provided questions in the plenum. The results are discussed together. METHOD OF EVALUATION: At the end of each seminar within the course students rate the structural and procedural quality by means of a questionnaire.

Compared to the former frontal teaching in epidemiology students rate the activating teaching concept significantly better in respect to lecturing style, discussion moderation, own contribution, contribution of others and course material. Comparison to the seminar "National health reporting system" (different subject, but same teaching concept and same instructor) yielded no significant differences, nor did the comparison between different instructors with the same teaching concept at the same seminar.

The structural and procedural quality of the activating teaching concept in epidemiology is rated significantly better than the former frontal teaching concept. This difference is based on conceptual differences and not on different instructors or different subjects.