MASTER'S DEGREE AND PH.D. DEGREE IN MEDICAL, DENTAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES PROGRAM

Health Sciences Field of Knowledge

a) Academic Development Area: Epidemiological

Main Fields of Study: Epidemiology, Clinical Epidemiology and Health at Work*

I. Epidemiology

In this field, professionals are trained to be competent at carrying out research in groups of individuals on factors that regulate or interact to preserve health or that can be causes of disease in the population, identifying factors associated with the risk of suffering disease and, consequently, propose measures for their epidemiological control.

Graduates in this field of study can form part of the Health Ministry, universities, head offices of different research centers and hospitals belonging to the social security institutes where they can carry out epidemiological research.

II. Clinical Epidemiology

In this field, clinical researchers are trained with an orientation towards obtaining new knowledge in the areas of causality, diagnosis, prognosis and clinical treatments. The approach used is of a multidisciplinary character, taking into account biological, medical-clinical, psychological, cultural, social, economic and organizational aspects of the clinical practice.

Graduates join research units in hospitals, clinics and health centers where daily contact with patients makes it possible to motivate, originate, conceive and answer relevant questions to clinical problems.

III. Health at Work

This field trains professionals capable of doing research into the working context of the individual or groups of individuals in order to identify risks at work and their repercussions on the individual or on productivity, proposing corrective and preventive measures. It uses the multi and interdisciplinary approach to understand the problems of man in relation to his work.

Graduates work in educational institutions, social security institutions and private enterprises where they carry out tasks as researchers and teachers.

b) Academic Development Area: Sociomedical

Main Fields of Study: Medical Education, Dental Education, Public Mental Health and Health Systems*

IV. Medical Education and

V. Dental Education

In these fields, professionals are trained to be competent in participating in problem solving and the making of decisions based on scientific evidence, relative to the planning, organization and evaluation of the formative process of professionals in medicine, dentistry and other health professionals. They will also be able to develop and lead research aimed at obtaining new knowledge derived from the educational phenomenon.

Graduates join the head offices for teaching and research of different hospital centers and educational institutions carrying out research and development activities of new educational projects.

VI. Public Mental Health

This field of studies trains researchers to obtain knowledge of the factors that influence the biopsychosocial health and disease processes from the community environment to the social spheres and to be able to put forward solutions to problems that affect family, community, social and cultural dynamics.

Graduates from the program work in mental health institutions in research and teaching areas.

VII. Health Systems

This field of study trains professionals to be competent in solving problems and in making in health care decisions founded on scientific evidence, developing and leading research aimed at obtaining new knowledge in the field of health systems and services. The approach used is of a multidisciplinary character covering biological, medical-clinical, psychological, cultural, social, economic and organizational aspects of attention to the health needs of the population.

Graduates join Health Sector institutions at decision, planning, evaluation and quality improvement levels, and academic institutions involved in carrying out research and training human resources.

C) Academic Development Area: Humanities in the Health Field

Main field of Study: Bioethics

VIII. Bioethics

This field trains professional to be competent in carrying out scientific research and to support the decision making process in the field of solving controversies and dilemmas inherent in the ethical problems arising from the health-disease process. Bioethics is by nature multidisciplinary and must combine philosophy with knowledge of biological, social and human aspects. There is a great potential for participation in the solution of empirical problems characteristic of bioethical practice.

Graduates join educational institutions related to the health area and to philosophy, carrying out basic and applied research, and health institutions which have installed ethics or bioethics committees and public service institutions such as the National Human Rights Commission and the Medical Arbitration Commission.

Master of Science

The academic activities of the curricular cores are:

1. In-depth academic activities

Epidemiology: Epidemiological Methods I and II, Advanced Epidemiology and Statistics Applied to Epidemiology

Clinical Epidemiology: Clinical Epidemiology, Clinimetry and Data Management and Interpretation

Health at Work: Principles and Methods to Evaluate the Effects of the Working Environment on Man, Epidemiology in Health at Work, Social Sciences in Health at Work.

Medical Education and Dental Education: Models in Medical Education, Psychology of Education, Quantitative Methods in Medical Education, Evaluation of Medical Education.

Public Mental Health: Models and Measuring Instruments in Mental Health, Advanced Epidemiology, Statistics Applied to Public Mental Health, Etiology and Prevention of Mental Disorders.

Health Systems: Organization of Health Systems, Health Economics, Statistics Applied to Epidemiology, Health Resources, Programs and Policies.

Bioethics: Overview of Medicine, Principles of Ethics, Principles of Bioethics, Scientific Revolutions, Technological Innovation and Present Ethical Problems in Life and Health Sciences, Currents and Foundations of Contemporary Bioethics, Present Problems in Bioethics.

2. Methodological and instrumental academic activities

For all the Main Fields of Study (except Bioethics) organized around a common core: Basic Epidemiology, Basic Statistics and Research Methodology, together with Social Sciences Applied to Health.

3. Research academic activities

For all Main Fields of Study: Research Work and Research and Thesis Seminar.

4. Complementary academic activities (electives)

Each Main Field of Study shall have its catalogue of electives for the corresponding semesters.

5. Teaching Practice

All students from these fields must take thic course in order to favor the development of competencies for self-directed learning, the communication of knowledge and teaching, thus receiving training to carry out teaching activities.

Doctor of Science

Beginning Ph.D.

During the first four semesters, beginning Ph.D. students shall comply with all the activities set forth in the study plan for master's degree students, without being given credits. They may then continue with the activities stipulated for the Advanced Ph.D.

Advanced Ph.D.

The academic activities for the Advanced Ph.D. come under two headings:

I. Basic academic activities: Research Work and Research and Thesis Seminar (compulsory ).

II. Supplementary activities: Courses, seminars and workshops that provide a solid academic training in general knowledge of the student's field of study and specific fields of the student's interest (subject to the approval of his/her Tutorial Committee).