Lessons learned teaching epidemiology to undergraduate students

In response to the Institute for Medicine's recommendation that all undergraduates have access to education in public health, it was suggested that an undergraduate epidemiology course become an integral part of general and liberal education. Faculty members at Clemson University have been teaching such a class since 1992 and have experienced the unique challenges involved with teaching epidemiology to undergraduate public health students. Undergraduate students are not simply younger versions of the students enrolled in graduate courses and these distinctions are discussed. We have tried many styles of assignments, examinations, and teaching technologies over the years. Our success with group activities related to article critiques, paced assessments, service-learning focused courses, and iClicker usage will be shared along with lessons learned the hard way about engaging undergraduate learners using lecture slides and reliance upon text-provided material. We share our experiences with the aim of helping further inform and contribute towards the process of developing undergraduate public health programs and general education curriculum requirements pertaining to critical thinking skills development.