Academic Centre
The University of Latvia’s Faculty of Medicine has recently launched a new Master’s degree program – Epidemiology and medical statistics. The admission of new students happened to coincide with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought the value of an epidemiologist’s work to the forefront of public attention. However, the journey towards the development of this new study program had actually lasted for several years, with the UL Associate Professor Liliāna Civjāne leading the effort to prepare new epidemiologists.
The organizations which have made considerable financial investments to facilitate the creation of the new program include the University of Latvia Foundation and the BIOSAN company, which have provided scholarships to cover the students’ tuition costs. In order to find out how exactly the idea for the program came to be, how the first year students are doing, and if the recruitment of epidemiologists-to-be is also set to proceed this year, we have invited Prof. Liliāna Civjāne for an interview.
How exactly did the idea to establish an epidemiology program at the University of Latvia come into existence?
Due to family-related reasons I had to return to Latvia imenes apstākļu dēļ man pirms vairākiem gadiem bija jāatgriežas Latvijā. Man uzreiz bija skaidrs, ka vēlos strādāt Latvijas Universitātē, taču tajā laikā īsti neredzēju, kā pielietot savas zināšanas. Tā kā pati esmu epidemioloģe, tad uzreiz lūkojos sabiedrības veselības studiju virzienā. Tā kā šādas studijas Latvijā jau ir pieejamas citā augstskolā, tad mums bija jādomā par jauniem virzieniem. Latvijā trūkst gan epidemiologi, gan medicīniskie statistiķi, kas sniedz būtisku ieguldījumu veselības aprūpes sistēmā. Es izvērtēju, ko dara kolēģi ārzemēs, aprunājos ar rektoru, un nolēmām veidot šādu programmu. Uzreiz vienojāmies, ka studijas būs divās valodās, lai rastu iespēju gan piesaistīt labus starptautiskos lektorus, gan dotu iespēju apgūt zināšanas arī ārvalstu studentiem. Due to family-related reasons, I had to return to Latvia several years ago. It soon became clear to me that the University of Latvia is where I want to work, but I had trouble finding a job that would fit my particular skillset. Since I am an epidemiologist, I started by exploring teaching opportunities in the public health field. However, this study program was already available at another Latvian higher education institution, so I had to think of a new direction I could take. It just so happens that Latvia does not have enough epidemiologists and medical statistics experts, which are both crucial workers of the healthcare system. After analyzing the work of our colleagues overseas and consulting the university’s rector, we decided to establish a program that would offer education in these fields. From the start, this program was planned to be taught in two languages to attract both highly qualified lecturers and students from abroad.
What is the main goal of the program?
Our most important objective is to “produce” highly qualified epidemiologists and medical statisticians who would be capable of not just doing a good job, but also growing further in the future, broadening the horizons of their knowledge and skill. The scope of this education is very impressive – the knowledge we offer students is both broader and more in-depth than that available at other universities, including overseas ones. We want our students to become scientists. Both in Latvia and abroad doctors are often tasked with conducting research. However, I believe that the doctor is best suited to be a generator of ideas; if they are a good specialist in their own field, they don’t necessarily need extensive knowledge of statistics and research methodology. Scientific research has to be teamwork – a doctor or another specialist could present their ideas, and then the epidemiologist could take over and oversee the process, deciding what to in order to get reliable results. The medical statistics expert (who could be an epidemiologist as well) would work with data, and then the whole team would cooperate in the analysis of the acquired results.
What differences are there between an epidemiologist and a public health expert?
We teach our students to read scientific literature. An epidemiologist needs to understand the message the paper’s authors are trying to get across, analyze the health status of the public and prepare the appropriate guidelines. A public health expert observes what happens in society, they are a kind of connection between the researchers and society. An epidemiologist, on the other hand, gives advice to the public health experts.
Right now we can see that many find it difficult to understand scientific publications. A lot of people think they get it, but end up misinterpreting the available information and data. That’s why it’s an epidemiologist’s responsibility to explain scientifically proven information so appropriate measures can be taken.
Currently epidemiology is often mentioned in the context of COVID-19, which is an infectious disease. However, in the last few decades the role of epidemiology has become more important when it comes to non-infectious diseases as well…
Of course. For example, we can see this clearly see this in the case of Alcheimer’s disease, which has recently tripled in incidence and pretty much reached pandemic status. The same can be said abour cardiovascular diseases, since earlier humans had a lower life expectancy and often simply couldn’t survive long enough to have a stroke or heart attack. That’s why it’s important for epidemiologists to study disease incidence and risk factors in order to come up with effective ways to counteract the problem.
The teaching staff plays a very important role in the quality of education...
Every single one of our lecturers has international education experience. The teaching staff are all experts in their respective fields on both the national and international levels. Artificial intelligence, neuroevolution, digital health – these are some of the topics included in our program.
What do you think about the pandemic’s impact on education?
I have to admit that both the students and the teachers had a hard time adapting to online classes. Repetition for the purpose of strengthening previously acquired knowledge is essential to our program. That’s why, perhaps, the ability to record some of the lectures was a considerable benefit provided to us by the online class format. It is possible that this practice could carry over into the future – at least to some extent.
What do you think of the epidemiology students – were they sufficiently interested and engaged?
My impression of them is a very positive one; we are lucky to have all our students show a high level of interest, but the most important thing, in our opinion, is the motivation to study hard. And our students are quite motivated – all professors can attest to that. Moreover, I really like that this class has brought together people from different age groups with a variety of educational and professional experience; this makes the study process all the more interesting.
What career opportunities does this program open for its alumni?
The opportunities are very diverse! In science, there are not enough people who can analyze data, and the same can be said about hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry. Professional epidemiologists are also necessary for state institutions such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention etc.
Do the students always have to pay tuition, or are there full-ride scholarships?
Since the program is very new and funding is limited, tuition payments are required. However, thanks to the contributions of the UL Foundation and the BIOSAN company, we had an opportunity to support our students by covering their tuition costs. Of course, good grades are a prerequisite, which provides additional motivation to master the course material. That makes this scholarship program a wonderful opportunity for people who are motivated to study hard.
Are you planning to continue admitting new students to the program?
Yes! Since this was the first academic year, we are now analyzing all benefits and drawbacks which have come to the surface in order to improve the program for the future, and we are planning to accept new students from Latvia and abroad this year.
What would be your advice for students in the future?
The sky is the limit! You can do anything you put your mind to. Age isn’t a limit either – a person can study at any stage of their life and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in the process!
Student experience and advice
Zane Baltāne
I have started my professional career in the medical field in 2008 at the State Agency of Health Statistics and Medical Technologies, which would be later reorganized into the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. My initial work experience involved maintaining registries of patients with certain diseases, cooperating with medical institutions with regard to information availability, as well as preparing statistical summaries and improving the report system.
I have played a key role in establishing a Hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS patient registry. My work responsibilities notably included improvement of statistical data availability and usability, which enabled user-friendly and comfortable access to the health statistics database of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as open-access data from the Latvian Open-Access Data Portal.
This study program is the only such program in the Baltic States, it’s a newly created program whose content is adjusted to fit the needs of the present and the future. My motivation for studying was to improve and acquire new knowledge for research in the healthcare field. Furthermore, I had trust in the quality of the education provided by the University of Latvia, since my previous experience with it has been very positive, and I have had great success using and building on the knowledge and skills I have acquired during my undergraduate studies at this institution in my everyday work at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
I have observed that the teaching staff are all professionals in their fields with international experience, passionate educators eager to share their knowledge, and a close-knit team that knows how to encourage and support students.
The classes have been taught by invited experts not just from Latvia, but from overseas institutions as well – for example, the World Health Organization, the Robert Koch institute…
The first year of my studies has already considerably broadened my knowledge and experience in terms of both theory and practice, since the two are closely connected in the study program. I am impressed with the effort to educate us in the newest tendencies of epidemiology and the intricacies of planning research projects. We are also taught about the opportunities of using technology in research and the planning thereof. I am certain that the “Epidemiology and Medical Statistics” program will give us the possibility to successfully use the acquired knowledge and skills in the healthcare field. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to analyze data and provide public health and political institutions with experimentally proven information that would allow them to proceed with appropriate measures.
Baiba Brikovska
Education: A UL Master’s degree in Trade and Food Service Economics and Management. I have previously worked in the finance sector as the finance manager of a large company; my expertise includes budget planning, managing taxes and salaries, bookkeeping and filing reports.
I am interested in medicine because many of my family members are employed in that field. I wanted to change the direction of my career, so I eventually decided that a medicine-related position would be the most suitable choice. I think that epidemiology is a field that, given sufficient interest, you can join even after already having pursued a career elsewhere. To me, researching the causes and conditions specific to our geographical region and coming up with ways to thwart disease spread is quite interesting indeed.
I think the scope of the program is very broad and well-rounded. There is a lot of information, and in the beginning of my studies it sometimes seemed to me that it’s almost impossible to learn that much, but the efforts of our wonderful teaching personnel have enabled us to develop the skills for comprehending the course material and slowly but surely move closer towards our goal. Our knowledge is being expanded all the time, and the progress we’ve made is nothing short of enormous.
I am interested in reading scientific literature, and I want to find a topic to specialize in. I would really like to become a professional epidemiologist. I have one more year left in the program, so hopefully I will be able to figure out what I’m going to to research in the long term.
Epidemiology is fascinating, so I think it could be of interest not just to medics or biologists, but to any other professional as well. You could focus your attention on any public health issue, analyze any age group from babies to seniors. You could research not only Latvian society, but that of any other region as well. You could study dietary factors, the health consequences of air pollution, genetics… The possibilities are all but infinite! The most important thing is to have courage and study!
Laima Grunte
I am an alumnus of the Riga Stradins University “Public Health” Bachelor’s degree program. I have previously worked in the Ministry of Health, but currently I am employed at the “Grindex” company.
I’ve been wanting to continue my education for quite some time. Furthermore, my experience in the pharmaceutical industry has made me interested in clinical trials and research in general – it all seems very exciting!
Before my studies started, I had to come to terms with the fact that, since we are the first students in this particular program, the whole process would likely have difficulties and perhaps even serious flaws. However, despite the challenges of the pandemic, I was still pleasantly surprised by the quality of the education and the responsiveness and amicability of professors and colleagues alike.
To be a part of this team is a great asset for me – I am surrounded by very knowledgeable, energetic and hardworking people who inspire me to keep moving forward. Of course, I am also overjoyed to work alongside the teaching personnel, who are all experts in their fields and readily share their knowledge, time and encouragement.
My goal for the future is to actively participate in research, applying what I’ve learned in both local and international-level studies.
I would recommend this program to any curious individual with a researcher’s spirit. It’s a wonderful opportunity to obtain much-needed, high-quality knowledge on epidemiological processes, research planning and paper writing, medical technologies and medical statistics. If you enroll, you will get a chance to interact with experts in their fields, and maybe even join their ranks in the future!
Danija Maļceva
I have an undergraduate degree in Public Health from the Riga Stradins University. While studying for my Bachelor’s degree, I have actively volunteered in organizations such as DIA+LOGS and Papardes zieds. I started working as a healthcare statistician at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in my senior year.
I have applied to the program because I think that epidemiology experts are very needed in modern society – particularly considering the COVID-19 pandemic that still rages on. The COVID-19-related experience I have obtained at work has lead me to believe that broadening my knowledge and skillset in this new and unique program would be of great use to me.
The program is very dynamic, combining the fields of epidemiology and medical statistics. The teaching personnel are all very professional and eager to help. They are happy to provide us with detailed information and share their experience in their respective fields. Thanks to this program, I have already achieved considerable success – it has enabled me to find employment as a public health analyst at the Department of Infectious Disease Surveillance and Immunization. Furthermore, it has allowed me to understand the value of constantly bettering oneself, building experience and seizing every opportunity life presents.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the program director Liliāna Civjāne’s eagerness to cooperate with us, guiding us on our journey, providing motivation and opportunities to get as much as possible out of this program.
In the future, I plan to complete the EPIET (The European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training) program and try to participate in international projects.
I recommend this program to people who have lots of new ideas, think critically and enjoy research. One should be ready to make new scientific discoveries and investigate the old ones from a new perspective.
Zanda Rozmane
I have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Chemistry .I applied to the program hoping that it would allow me to do what interests me most in the future.
I find this program modern and interesting. The studying is intensive. During lectures and seminars, there is a distinct focus on teaching students to develop and express science-based opinions in an analytical fashion, and intensive discussions are encouraged. The teaching personnel are all experienced professionals in their fields, and they are always glad to help us.
My greatest attainment from this program is the skill to come up with sound, science-based opinions. I hope to have a research-related career in the future.
I recommend enrolling in this program because it’s oriented towards solving currently ongoing problems and promotes rapid improvement. Furthermore, epidemiology is a very multifaceted, fascinating science. This education will help alumni become very knowledgeable epidemiologists.
I am proud to be a student of the UL Epidemiology and Medical Statistics program!
Inese Mauriņa
I have a Master’s degree in International Economic Relations. I’ve been leading the patient organization ParSirdi.lv for 10 years, organizing educational and informative activities related to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. I am also an active participant of global patient organization networks such as Global Heart Hub un FH Europe Patient Network.
Enrolling in the University of Latvia’s new program seemed like a logical next step on my career journey. It would add academic knowledge to my public health experience, which has largely been acquired through practice rather than theory until now.
Nowadays, the extension of the human lifespan is a very hot topic. On the one hand, the achievements of modern medicine enable people to live longer and have a higher quality of life, on the other hand this also creates new challenges regarding healthcare, psychological aspects, the role of digital technology etc. The massive amounts of currently available data provide us with more and more high-quality information that can be used for improving humanity’s health and quality of life, however, it is not always clear how to use that data correctly and efficiently. A lot of the answers to these questions, as well as the latest knowledge in the field, can be taught by the exceptional local and international lecturers of the University of Latvia’s Epidemiology and Medical Statistics program.
My aim is to obtain knowledge that I could use in research and educating the general population of Latvia on the matters relating to their health. I am very glad that both me and my peers have received the BIOSAN company’s scholarship in the very first year of our studies, which is an important source of financial support and an acknowledgement of our achievements, which motivates us to keep studying hard and improving ourselves. The most important thing is to believe in yourself and never give up. That way, you can make your dreams come true!
Kaspars Liepiņš
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare, and my current employment is related to primary care.
Healthcare, particularly public health, has always interested me. Alongside the matters of treatment and rehabilitation, my job involves the planning and execution of preventative measures. As such, epidemiology is a good choice for further advancement from both a practical and a logical perspective.
Admittedly, the beginning was quite tough, and passing my first finals seemed as difficult as conquering an impregnable fortress. When I’d just started studying, the intensity of the program and the sheer volume of learning material were further complicated by the challenges of distance learning. At that stage, the aptitude of the teaching personnel had really stood out – despite all the challenges, they were still able to ensure that the goals of the program would be reached and the level of education would remain very high without compromising our curiosity and motivation to acquire new knowledge and skills.
It’s difficult to choose just one greatest attainment because of just how much I’ve improved. It’s clear that the horizons of my knowledge have considerably broadened, and this is an excellent feeling that has me looking forward to the future. I believe that learning should never end! As for my newly acquired knowledge, I would like to put it to good use in healthcare policymaking at the highest level possible! In my opinion, if you feel a calling to be an epidemiologist, this program won’t disappoint you. Let’s take care of our health and learn to coexist properly in the world we call home!
