NIHES Graduation Ceremony 2011: Student address by Jose Andres Calvache España, Master of Science in Health Sciences, specialisation Clinical Epidemiology, universidad del Cauca, Colombia

The Erasmus Summer Programme 2012 provides international students and academic health professionals with an invaluable opportunity to spend up to three weeks in an unequalled academic environment, bringing themselves right up to date in the health sciences.

In just three weeks, the Erasmus Summer Programme provides 30 courses, 2 Master Classes, and 4 lectures on cutting-edge biomedical topics. Each course is designed to fully satisfy the needs of students and health professionals with a specific interest – such as clinical medicine, general practice, public health, epidemiology, genetics, and biostatistics.

The Erasmus Summer Programme 2012 addresses international health challenges and offers new master courses and short courses, topical lectures, and Master Classes. This flagship programme focuses on the key principles and methods of quantitative medical research.

Our MSc in Health Sciences, MSc in Clinical Research, and the European MSc in Advanced Epidemiology in Clinical and Genetic Research (MADE) start with the Erasmus Summer Programme.

A key part in the Erasmus Summer Programme is played by the Fellowships: three suites of courses that provide top-level instruction in clinical research training, public health research, and genetic epidemiology. Each Fellowship is a stimulating challenge for talented young scientists who seek leading careers in scientific research.

We look forward to welcoming you in Rotterdam.

www.erasmussummerprogramme.nl

As an undergraduate teacher who has worked in rehabilitation for several years, Cristina was fully aware of the key role played by environment and education in health outcomes. From her work in the Brazilian Health Family Program, she also knew that there was an enormous need for primary prevention and epidemiology studies on non-transmissible diseases in the Brazilian population. She therefore decided to focus her career and scientific interests on health promotion.

During her PhD training, Cristina received a scholarship to attend the 2011 Erasmus Summer Programme at Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The experience was very rewarding. Erasmus MC has some of the best Epidemiology research groups in the world, and she decided to return, this time for longer. After contacting Prof. Oscar Franco, PI of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Group, an agreement was reached – and Cristina is now back in the Netherlands.

Over the next nine months, she will examine the impact of socioeconomic factors on Brazilian cardiovascular mortality trends, and assess the effectiveness of cardiovascular primary care interventions in low and middle-income countries. She will also conduct a systematic evaluating the interactions between lifestyle factors and medication.

Her objectives? To make a difference to underprivileged people’s health and to the students she works with back in Brazil. In her view, the best way to accomplish this is through her experience at Erasmus MC, with which she intends to establish a longstanding collaboration. She now trusts that new doors will open, and all kinds of new collaboration will start between academic groups in Brazil and the Netherlands.

Erasmus MC’s Cardiovascular Epidemiology Group led by Prof. Oscar Franco, PI.

medical doctors who are doing a fellowship or their residency period, and have a particular interest in diagnostic test evaluation; and

all those in health-services research, including epidemiologists, health economists, and other medical professionals.

By the end of the course, participants will understand the principles of interpreting diagnostic test results and evaluating diagnostic tests.

John Younge, a NIHES PhD student in Clinical Epidemiology who took the pilot course, receives the first certificate from Prof. Myriam Hunink, Clinical Epidemiology and Radiology, Erasmus MC and Prof. Albert Hofman, Chair Epidemiology Erasmus MC and NIHES Science Director.

John Younge on Diagnostic Research online:

“The online training method was opening possibilities for me to plan more and to plan even better. As a PhD student you are simply too busy with everything, everywhere. To most of the people involved, Diagnostic Research Online will do more than just add value”.

Online applications opens soon on: www.nihes.nl/online/

The agreement comes in the wake of the launch, last year, of the ‘Science without Borders’ scholarship programme by the Brazilian government. This programme will greatly expand opportunities for Brazilian students and post-docs to study abroad, while it also boosts opportunities for research cooperation by funding visiting professors and foreign researchers to work in Brazil.

The cooperation relates to the field of epidemiology and public health, as well as molecular medicine, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases and neurosciences. Today, the cooperation agreement was signed on behalf of Hospital das Clinicas by Prof. Antonio Ribeiro and on behalf of Erasmus MC by Prof. Albert Hofman.

Prof. Albert Hofman (Erasmus MC of EUR), Prof. Antonio Ribeiro (Hospital das Clinicas of UFMG), Dr. Anton van Schijndel (NIHES-Brazil Knowledge Platform).

At the same time, the first letters of intent were signed by five public institutions: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ); University of São Paulo (Faculty of Medicine); Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (International Relations Department); Federal University of Bahia (Institute for Public Health); and Federal University of Minas Gerais (Hospital das Clínicas).

The NIHES-Brazil Knowledge Platform aims to foster research talent – not only in academia, government and industry, but also in people who might otherwise be left behind.

View the Media Alert RiodeJaneiro (English)

Participants at Castelo Mourisco, seat of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ).

“Our aim is to foster research talent – not only in academia, government and industry, but also in people who might otherwise be left behind.”

– Prof. Albert Hofman, MD PhD, NIHES, Science Director

The NIHES-Brazil Knowledge Platform is a response to Brazil’s growing study-abroad market, and to employers’ awareness that international training creates competitive advantage. Enthusiastic about the benefits of international collaboration, Brazil’s universities are seeking new international partnerships.

The immediate aim of this initiative is to identify synergies for research-training in medicine and the health sciences. Such synergies should produce integrated research-training initiatives that support highly qualified students and health professionals.

With the financial support from public and private organizations, partner universities will next promote international exchanges of students and faculty. NIHES and partner institutions will be signing formal convenio agreements at the Science Dinner hosted by Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) in Sao Paulo on November 30th.

This programme emphasizes the understanding of principles and methods of clinical research. The programme focuses on the basics common to all research in clinical medicine. In addition, the programme provides courses for those particularly interested in clinical trials, in drug safety research, and in decision making in clinical medicine. It also includes various courses in biostatistics.

NIHES offers partner universities in Brazil a reduction of 50% on the regular course fees of the Erasmus Winter Programme 2011. Please mention “NIHES-BRAZIL Knowledge Platform” in your online registration.

NIHES offers partner universities in Brazil a reduction of 50% on the regular course fees

Visit the Erasmus Winter Progamme website for more information