title: Charting a future for epidemiologic training.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify macro-level trends that are changing the needs of epidemiologic research and practice and to develop and disseminate a set of competencies and recommendations for epidemiologic training that will be responsive to these changing needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were three stages to the project: (1) assembling of a working group of senior epidemiologists from multiple sectors, (2) identifying relevant literature, and (3) conducting key informant interviews with 15 experienced epidemiologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve macro trends were identified along with associated actions for the field and educational competencies. The macro trends include the following: (1) "Big Data" or informatics, (2) the changing health communication environment, (3) the Affordable Care Act or health care system reform, (4) shifting demographics, (5) globalization, (6) emerging high-throughput technologies (omics), (7) a greater focus on accountability, (8) privacy changes, (9) a greater focus on "upstream" causes of disease, (10) the emergence of translational sciences, (11) the growing centrality of team and transdisciplinary science, and (12) the evolving funding environment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addressing these issues through curricular change is needed to allow the field of epidemiology to more fully reach and sustain its full potential to benefit population health and remain a scientific discipline that makes critical contributions toward ensuring clinical, social, and population health.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO; Division of Public Health Sciences and Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. Electronic address: rbrownson@wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brownson
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Samet
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento.
authors.forename: Gilbert F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Chavez
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh; Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galea
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hiatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.
authors.forename: Carlton A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hornung
authors.affiliation: Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Muin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.affiliation: Office of Public Health Scientific Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and UCLA BRITE Center for Science, Research and Policy, Los Angeles CA; Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and UCLA BRITE Center for Science, Research and Policy, Los Angeles CA.
authors.forename: Vickie M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Mays
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Remington
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, College of Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yarber
mesh_terms: D004813:Epidemiology / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D011361:Professional Competence; D011634:Public Health; D014481:United States
keywords: Epidemiology; Genomics; Globalization; Medicine; Public health; Translational research