Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program

Mental disorders are among the leading causes of disability in the world, and improved strategies to reduce their burden are needed. Epidemiologic studies of psychiatric disorders now include not only important quantification of prevalence and incidence, but also sophisticated measures of phenotype, high-throughput -omics assays, etiologic inquiry, and broad prevention interventions. Neuroscience, via increasingly accessible imaging modalities collected in large numbers of study participants, has only begun to inform public health. In tandem, long-term health impacts of mental disorders, including suicide, have continued to increase in prevalence despite best efforts at prevention and mitigation. The goal of the Psychiatric Epidemiology Training (PET) program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is to produce the next generation of psychiatric epidemiologists who can address these needs by conducting research that will advance our understanding of the causes and consequences of mental disorders, and developing, implementing, and evaluating rationally designed interventions to prevent and/or control these disorders. It will achieve this through a rigorous program of coursework, research apprenticeships, and integrative activities that provide trainees with a solid foundation in the core proficiencies of psychiatric epidemiology while giving them the opportunity to pursue specialized training in one of two Concentrations: Etiology of Mental Disorders and Interventions in Mental Disorders. The program will include 6 predoctoral fellows who are supported by an experienced group of 24 Core and 12 Affiliate Faculty who are aligned with one of the two Concentrations. PET program trainees will be prepared to assume leadership positions in mental health research as faculty in Schools of Public Health or Medicine, in government positions formulating research priorities and mental health policy, in private industry conducting applied research, or in non-profit mental health agencies or non-governmental organizations advocating for those with mental disorders. The PET program has successfully trained psychiatric epidemiologists for over 4 decades. Drs. Volk and Zandi will continue to lead the program and build on the successes of the last cycle to train the next generation of leaders in psychiatric epidemiology. They are poised to continue building on the rich tradition of the program and lead it in new directions that will produce leaders in psychiatric epidemiology who will advance the field and drive research that focuses on etiologic mechanisms and targeted interventions.