How to Think Like a Modeler
Time limit: 60 days
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Full course description
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Conceptualize what a model is.
Explain why models are useful.
Gain an in-depth understanding of the process and components involved in creating a mathematical model.
Review how predictive models were created to forecast healthcare resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how those models assisted with public health decision-making.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Public health professionals today are faced with increasing amounts of data from statistical and machine learning models to assist their decision-making during an infectious disease outbreak. However, most of them have never had formal mathematical modeling training, which may hinder their ability and confidence in properly interrogating and using the modeling output. This course is meant to be the first in a series of training courses that will help public health professionals like you better understand and use infectious disease modeling. You will be introduced to topics such as what a model is, types of models that exist, and how models are produced. Finally, you will be reviewing real-life examples of how models were used in public health and evaluating their impact. Content covered in this course will lay the conceptual groundwork and context for more technical modeling topics in future courses.
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