Developing a Roadmap for Foundational Training Courses in Pharmacoepidemiology: A Core Competencies-Based Approach

Background: ISPE plays a central role in promoting best practices for training in pharmacoepidemiologic (PEpi) methods. Recent ISPE strategic initiatives and the survey of academic programs in PEpi revealed the need for educational resources for those interested in gaining foundational PEpi skills worldwide. Thus, efforts to facilitate the development of such resources are key. Supported by the ISPE Academic and Student Councils, the workshop will benefit attendees interested in developing foundational courses in PEpi including, but not limited to, trainees, early career professionals, or those wishing to expand ISPE’s geographic footprint in PEpi training.

Objectives: The workshop will:
1. Describe core competencies in PEpi relevant for developing foundational skills courses, as informed by findings from recent ISPE-funded initiatives
2. Illustrate the development of course objectives and mapping to core competencies as supported by assigned readings and other materials
3. Develop the key components of a course syllabus (see details in the description below) for a foundational PEpi course though small group activities
4. Collect feedback from the audience to inform guiding principles and a roadmap for developing foundational PEpi courses

Description: The workshop will include brief presentations (see below), an interactive session, and participant feedback.
1. Session introduction (Dr. Daniela Moga, 5 min)
2. The need for foundational PEpi training: The “WHY” (Dr. Chioma Ejekam, 10 min)
3. An overview of the core PEpi competencies: The “WHAT” (Dr. Amie Goodin, 10 min)
4. A brief introduction to developing course objectives and mapping them to core competencies for foundational courses in PEpi: The “HOW” (Dr. Kristian Filion, 10 min)
5. Bringing together the WHY, the WHAT, and the HOW through highlights and lessons learned from establishing a training program in PEpi (Dr. Anton Pottegård, 10 min).
Following these presentations, attendees will work in small groups (30 min) followed by a debriefing session moderated by Dr. Moga (15 min). Each group will have a facilitator and will be tasked with describing a learner profile (target audience), developing course objectives mapped to core competencies, a course schedule incorporating readings and skills evaluation. Groups will be provided with a listing of the core competencies based on the recent findings of the ISPE funded initiatives and a copy of the paper Where to begin? Thirty must-read papers for newcomers to pharmacoepidemiology to guide the selection of the assigned readings while being encouraged to expand the reading list. Participants will have the opportunity to share feedback related to roadmap development during debriefing and via an electronic survey available during and after the session.