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An infectious way to teach students about outbreaks
Íde Cremin1, Oliver Watson1, Alastair Heffernan1
1Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, UK.
Epidemics
|January 1, 2018
Summary
This study introduces a novel teaching exercise for training epidemiologists using real-time simulated infectious disease outbreaks. Participants analyze data they help generate, enhancing understanding of epidemiological concepts and real-world outbreak dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Modeling
- Medical Education
Background:
- Training epidemiologists requires understanding outbreak dynamics.
- Current methods often use historical data, lacking real-time simulation.
- Few educational tools involve participants generating their own outbreak data for analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel teaching exercise for infectious disease outbreak analysis.
- To develop a tool for hands-on learning of epidemiological concepts.
- To highlight discrepancies between simulated and real-world outbreak dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Developed a five-day simulated infectious disease outbreak teaching exercise.
- Created an R package for data visualization, analysis, and simulation.
- Iteratively refined the exercise based on pedagogical insights.
Main Results:
- Computer simulations revealed deviations from observed outbreak dynamics.
- The exercise provided practical experience in analyzing simulated epidemic data.
- The R package facilitated visualization and analysis of outbreak patterns.
Conclusions:
- The developed teaching exercise offers a unique approach to training epidemiologists.
- This pedagogical tool enhances understanding of outbreak analysis and modeling assumptions.
- The exercise and accompanying R package are adaptable for various educational settings.
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