Training
As part of its commitment to creating a sustainable research capacity in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), SCTS has initiated two training programs:
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The 1st program aims at training Syrian researchers in tobacco control research, and it is conducted in collaboration with Aleppo University Faculty of Medicine (AUFM). Main components of this training program are:
a- Development of epidemiology training module for researchers and postgraduates at AUFM.
b- Short term fellowships for Syrian researchers to attend intensive training periods in grant management, human subjects protection, clinical laboratory, epidemiology, and biostatistics. Four such fellowships have been already provided for qualified Syrian researchers at the University of Memphis and Virginia Commonwealth University.
c- Peer mentorship and continuous distance learning. SCTS has built a model, which relies heavily on web- and e-mail-based communication to create focused work groups that concentrate on specific tasks, including the conduct of distance learning programs, expert consultation, program planning, and manuscript and grant preparation. Currently, 5 Syrian researchers are undergoing such training and are applying their learned skills in planning and conducting new research projects.
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The 2nd training program just initiated by SCTS aims to train Syrian and EMR researchers in Environmental and Occupational Health research (EOH). The main component of this training program, which will be planned and conducted by a renowned world figure in EOH training (Dr. Howard Frumkin of Emory University), will be in the form of one week workshop in Aleppo. Some of the main areas considered for this workshop (planned for 2004) are; environmental epidemiological methods, exposure assessment, epidemiology of air pollution, epidemiology of lead, bio-monitoring, occupational health, and urban health.
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