Assessing epidemiological learning amongst undergraduate students

Increasingly, students from a range of undergraduate health courses are required to study epidemiology. This is, in part, due to the use of evidence-based frameworks and workforce competency programs. Resources to guide the selection of content and development of teaching strategies are available. However, there is paucity of published research on how to best assess epidemiological knowledge and skills. Using recent experience and a review of the current evidence on best practice in assessment, this paper outlines how the key principles in assessment can be used in epidemiology to encourage students to learn and apply epidemiological skills in their professional practice and promote inter-professional learning and co-operation.