Proficiency scale based on the NIH Competencies Proficiency Scale. The levels are, in order: Fundamental Awareness (basic knowledge), Novice (limited experience), Intermediate (practical application), Advanced (applied theory), and Expert (recognized authority). Pharmacoepidemiology competencies based on article by Osborne et al . Skills were last self-rated on January 19, 2025.
Pharmacoepidemiology Comptencies
Themes
Core competency
Data sources and measurement
Basic principles of digital health
Data sources and types of data in pharmacoepidemiology
Embedding prospective data collection in secondary databases for additional data collection
Measurement of population identifiers, exposure, outcomes and covariance, including their measurement characteristics
Policy, public health and regulatory decision making
Quality and validation of data sources
General skills
Basic research skills (generic)
Professional networking skills
Interpretation and public health impact
Basic phases of drug development and information obtained
Drug regulatory process and agencies
Interpreting epidemiologic data: chance, bias, confounding, effect modification
Oral presentation of study methods, results and interpretation
Regulatory reporting requirements
Risk management
Written communication of study methods, results and interpretation
Statistical modeling and analysis
Advanced statistical modeling techniques (e.g. GLM, GEE, MSM)
Basic principles of medical statistics
Causal inference methods
Control for confounding and biases
Data mining techniques
Demographic analysis
Interpret, design and appraise sensitivity analyses
Machine learning techniques
Meta-analysis methods (including systematic reviews)
Missing data and data imputation
Multi-group comparisons
Power and sample size
Quantitative bias analysis
Statistical programming skills
Study design and methods in pharmacoepidemiology
Appraisal of pharmacoepidemiological research
Benefit–Risk assessment methods
Causal mediation analysis
Comparative clinical trials fundamental principles, key decisions of design, delivery and assessment, reporting
Distributed data networks and use of Common Data Models
Drug utilization, adherence, and switching
Epidemiology study designs and their strengths/limitations
Ethical issues in pharmacoepidemiology
Evaluation of effectiveness and impact
Geriatrics, pediatric, pregnancy and other specific and special populations
Good Pharmacoepidemiology Practices guidelines
Health economics modeling approaches
Qualitative methods in health research
Signal detection definitions and methods
Signal evaluation approaches
Spontaneous report methods and interpretation
Study designs adapted for rare diseases, vaccines and other special therapeutic categories (e.g., gene therapy)
Survey methodology in health research
Understanding of diseases and treatments
Applications of omics data in epidemiology and public health
Basic principles of drug actions, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Common drug associated conditions, symptoms and syndromes
Disease prevention strategies (inc screening)
Global burden of communicable and noncommunicable disease and public health intervention strategies
Types of adverse events (A, B) by mechanism/classification system
Understanding of biological mechanisms
Variability in drug response due to drug–drug interactions, pharmacogenomics/genetics