Recruiting epidemiologists: A developmental perspective on expanding epidemiology exposure for adolescents.

Abstract

Adolescents are at a unique developmental stage that is well-primed for epidemiology instruction. Although a handful of pioneers have focused on expanding epidemiology instruction to teen audiences, there are still no systematic efforts in the United States to attain this goal. In this paper I posit that epidemiologists and other public health professionals are critical to this effort. Epidemiologists from public health agencies, academia and non-profit organizations can engage in partnerships with schools, such as by offering internships and pairing graduate students/mentees with teachers and adolescent learners. Through these efforts, we can leverage teens' natural interests in risk taking, health and wellness, and community change to learn population-level thinking. I posit that these measures can encourage widespread exposure to epidemiology principles, and also enhance the future of public health disciplines.