The aim of the course is to increase research competence and the utilization of population-based databases in cancer (cancer registries etc.) for new knowledge, benchmarking and follow-up and thus policy development and evidence base for cancer societies.
During two weeks of intensive basic training, the course introduces theories of research and cancer epidemiology, population based as well as clinical, and provides a network between students and competent researchers and peers in the field. Each student is provided a tutor from a cancer registry research group and a research project to complete during the two month´ practical work period. Half a year after the theoretical part students and tutors meet to present and discuss results. Hence, the course is comprehensive from idea, theory, and practical to reporting and peer review.
Many previous students are now active in research – most in public health, registries and clinics but also laboratory research has received researchers with good skills in epidemiology, strengthening translational research. Impact of this activity is long-term for students, but also short-term benefits for the institutes having projects carried out during the course period. The course is unique in its set-up mixing theory and work on real data of which most end up in peer reviewed publications.
Any development in cancer prevention, treatment and care requires competent researchers. Competence and availability of researchers in the cancer field requires investments with targeted training specific to cancer. The Nordic Summer School in cancer epidemiology is such an investment and has been rated very important by the Cancer Societies’ advisory research committee. The need to attract the best brains to cancer research and population based cancer research in order to meet the goal of reducing the burden of cancer and cancer deaths in the future is obvious. The course includes education on the unique possibilities related to effective use of all Nordic register-based data. This type of education is not available in any of the international courses of epidemiology, neither in the handbooks, nor in university settings.
Contact: Lina Steinrud Mørch, Head of Cancer Surveillance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, DK 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark, tel +45 35 25 76 55, e-mail: morch@cancer.dk