General Instructions for Residents

First week in Program
First 16 weeks of the training program are dedicated to a 16 week in-class intensive teaching. This course constitutes the theoretical component of the Diploma. All newly enrolled graduate students should attend this course.
There will be no classes in the first week. During this week the residents are encouraged to get oriented to the different sections of FETP. They will be introduced to the FETP supervisor, FETP coordinator at King Saud University (KSU), the consultants in the program, the administrative assistant, the librarian and the editor.
During this week, graduate students are advised to

• complete ALL registration procedures at KSU, and obtain a student identification card (I.D.). Being a full time graduate student at KSU, their university I.D. will be their pass for KSU facilities, including the biomedical library.
• Take care of housing and related living affairs. The in-class course is so condensed and they may not have enough time for such activities as the course begins. FETP is not responsible for arranging accommodation and transportation for its residents. Special transportation services will be arranged for female residents as they get involved in official epidemiologic activities.
• Carefully, read the regulations for diploma course given in this handbook and other brochures made available
• Each resident should get his own copy of the following books from librarian:
  • Principles of Epidemiology (Manual) by CDC
  • Practicals in Epidemiology – Student Manual 
  • Foundations of Epidemiology by Lilienfeld and Stolley
  • Essential of Medical Statistics by Kirkwood
  • Control of Communicable Diseases by APHA
  • Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Control by APHA
  • Dictionary of Epidemiology by Last
• Residents should choose a representative to serve as a liaison between the residents and the FETP supervisor or consultants.
• If an instructor brought some written material for the group, the class representative will be requested to make copies for himself and his colleagues. A copy of this handout should be given to the course coordinator. Only an FETP staff is allowed to use the photocopier.

Next 16 weeks: The In-class course

• The in-class course lasts for 16 consecutive weeks.
• Classes are offered daily: Saturday –Wednesday.
• Lectures / practicals will begin at 8:00 AM and end at 3:00 PM
• No leave of absence is allowed during this period
• Each resident has to attend at least 80% of the lectures and practical. In case the attendance is less than the minimum he/she will not be entitled to appear in the 1st term examination and has to repeat the rotation with the next session. Attendance is to be taken regularly and always in the 1st 10 minutes of each session the residents are required to attend.
• Residents will not be requested to get involved in any outbreak investigation during the course.
• The course cover lectures on Principles of epidemiology, Biostatics, Public Health, Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Non-communicable disease epidemiology, Surveillance, Applied Epidemiology.

After in-Class Course 

• After the completion of theory teaching during the first 16 weeks, the training pattern will change to practical training and application of the knowledge acquired during the first 16 weeks. During the period residents has to complete all the stipulated projects, training attachments and assignments; in accordance with the laid down rules and regulations.
• During this period a number of training activities are organized to cover different components of training program in order to improve the knowledge and skills of residents.
  • This include weekly meetings on Monday called ‘Round Table’, lectures series for continued medical education, critical review of literature, data analysis exercises and evening seminars etc.
  • Attendance in these activities is compulsory and any resident who abstain from any of such scheduled activity will be marked absent and one day leave will be deducted from his/her annual leave quota for each of such absence. The exemption will only be granted to the residents who are on leave (Annual leave/Emergency leave/ Medical leave); out of Riyadh city due to some official business; or while in Riyadh city attending a full day conference/workshop or seminar. All other residents who are unable to attend due to some other reason (official or personal), has to get a prior permission from one of the consultants in the program, who will decide on case to case basis.

During this period, each resident will be entitled the leaves as described in relevant section. However, the resident must attend at least 80% of the group activities like round tables, continued education lectures, evening seminars. Failing which he/she may be barred from appearing in final comprehensive examination.
Library
The library of the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) is for the use of the staff members and residents. For the benefit of everyone, we need to observe some guidelines on the use of this research library.
I. Checking out books:

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  • Please write the date and your name on the green card located in the back of the book and leave it in the box on the librarian's desk.
  • Please return books to the library as soon as you finish with them (books should be back within a week) since we only have one copy of each item, with very few exceptions.
  • The books should not be transported out side Riyadh.
  • The books should not be transferred from one resident to another resident before it passes the librarian desk.
  • The dictionaries should not be taken outside the FETP office.

II. Checking out Journals and other publications

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  • Please fill out the chart in the white folder before removing any journal or publication from the library.
• Example:
• Date    Title                                                                            Your Name
• Dec.4/96          The lancet Vol.30 No. 2, I993                                    Dr. Mohammed
  • The journal need to be back in the library within 24 hours.
  • Keep the issued items in good condition and save it from cutting, writing notice at around the sides, or marking.

III. Checking out software and manuals

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  • Please fill out the chart in the white folder before removing any diskettes or manuals from the library.
  • The diskettes should not be taken outside the FETP office. However, you can make copies of any program you need. (You should provide the diskettes)
  • The software manuals need to be back in the library within 24 hours.

IV. Checking out slides

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  • Please fill out the chart in the white folder before removing any slides from the library.
  • The slides need to be back in the library within 1 week.

V. Checking out lecture tapes

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  • Please write the date and your name in the green card and live it in the box on the librarian desk.
  • The lecture tapes need to be back in the library within a week.

VI. Research assistance

•  
  • The librarian will help you find articles related to your current studies. In order to run an efficient search the librarian will need detailed and written information.
• For example.
• If you need information on Shigella, you should specify which Shigella, in what group of the population, in what part of the world, etc. Also it is helpful if you tell the librarian the kind of the organisms that you are looking for (virus, bacteria, etc.)
• Don't return back any used item to the shelve, just leave it on the table or on the librarian desk.

Before you graduate from the program please be sure that you return back any items you had borrowed to the library .
Computer Facility:
Computers have become an essential tool for any epidemiologist. Residents are provided the basic training in computers in the in-class course and are later encouraged to develop their skills in using different computer software in their professional work. FETP has two computer laboratories, one for the male residents other for the female residents. They are equipped with latest computers along with printers and 24 hour wide-band internet connection. Computer laboratory is accessible to residents 24 hours, to do their work as suits them. At the beginning of the program each resident is allocated a computer in the laboratory, for the rest of duration of training program. However in order to properly maintain the laboratory following guidelines should be followed:

• Protecting against computer viruses
  • Do not download software and emails of doubtful nature from internet. If you get such email, simply delete them and never open them
  • Whenever you put a floppy or CD in the computer, always check it first for virus
  • All the computers are installed with antivirus programs, but they may need regular update for virus definitions.
• All the computers are linked to the server of the FETP, and can be used for sharing documents among the colleagues which decrease the necessity of copying on floppy disks and printing.
• When you are leaving the computer laboratory always ‘shut down’ your computer properly
• If you are working after the office hours and you are the last one to leave, please always switch off the air-conditioner and other lights.
• Printing facility is freely available but please do not misuse it for the benefit of everyone. In this regards following may be helpful
  • Do not print documents which you do not need or has no intention to read
  • Majority of the downloaded document can well be read on computer screen, and need not be printed and can be saved on hard disk for later use.
  • Avoid printing directly from the internet, the format is usually not printer friendly and waste a lot of paper and ink. You may copy the required text/images into Microsoft word, delete the unnecessary items and print from there.
  • If the first print command apparently does not work, do not give multiple print commands for the same document (It will print at times dozens of copies, while you only need one). Read the message given by the computer and respond accordingly. If you can not figure out the reason, ask for assistance from someone who knows computers better than you.
  • For sharing document take advantage of FETP server or floppy disks.

Laptop Computers:
FETP has a limited number of laptop computers which can be issued to the residents, for field assignments and other specific needs. The resident who need a laptop should contact the computer incharge, while explaining his justification for its issuance. If computer incharge agrees to the need, a laptop computer can be issued to a resident after filling the required application form and receipt. A laptop computer may not be issued for more than one month, in any one instance.

Telephone/Fax:

• Facility for local calls (for official purpose) is available to residents, from the telephone present in computer laboratories. (dial 9, 81 or 82 to get the external line)
• In case, a resident need to call outside the city (for official purpose), he/she should contact the operator for the purpose.

Photocopying:

• In-house photocopying facility is available only for official purpose and in limited quantity.
• Residents are not allowed to operate the photocopying machines, they should ask the office boys/ administrative assistants when the need arise.
• In case photocopying in bulk is needed, the resident should contact administrative assistant to get the documents photocopied from outside.

Leave Rules

Annual Leave:

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  • During the stay in the program, residents are allowed only one month of annual leave per year in the months of summer.
  • Residents are advised to give priority to the academic assignments, while applying for the annual leave. The residents have to adjust their annual leave with other residents in the group, so at any time at least one third of residents are available in the Program.
  • The resident has to get his leave approved by the consultant incharge, at least 4 weeks before proceeding for leave.
  • In case of emergency, the annual leave may be cancelled.
  • The annual leave not availed in the stipulated months of summer will not be granted at any other time.

Emergency Leave:

•  
  • Residents are allowed 10 days emergency leave during one calendar year (Gregorian).

Logistics for Field activities

• Resident (Lead investigator in case of multiple participants) will be responsible to coordinate all the logistic arrangements for the field work related to epidemiological studies and other field assignments, under supervision of his/her supervisor.
• In case of epidemic investigation, if the place of outbreak is outside Riyadh city FETP will pay/reimburse the traveling allowance/tickets, as per entitlement, to all the participants of the study for the epidemic investigation for a maximum of 3 days. If the boarding and lodging is provided by the local health authorities/ other government organization only half per diem will be paid. However in such cases the paid stay can be extended to six days. However, in very extraordinary circumstances, Ministry of Health /Supervisor FETP can allow longer stays on government expense.
• For Hajj attachment / study, residents are allowed a maximum of 15 days per diem, as per MoH rules.
• No per diem or traveling allowances are permissible for the Epidemiological practice assignment.
• For other epidemiological studies and attachments, per diem and travel allowance, can be allowed with prior approval of Ministry of Health/Supervisor FETP
• Additional resources required for the epidemiological studies can be arranged with prior approval of MOH/Supervisor FETP, for which proposal along with he budget estimate has to be submitted to the MOH, along with University, for approval.
• For other field assignments, minor resources requirements like training material, resource person for training, photocopying etc. may be arranged, with the prior approval of the “Supervisor FETP”

Regulations for Field Researches Outside Saudi Arabia for Gulf Cooperation Council Country’s Students

• Only one study will be allowed in his home country during the two year training period.
• The planning, analysis and report writing of study will be conducted in KSA and resident will be allowed to go to his home for data collection, only.
• The maximum period allowed for stay in his home country, in relation to research, will not exceed 4 weeks
• Study should be under supervision of one of the senior staff member of FETP.
• To obtain permission for data collection outside KSA, trainee has to apply in writing to the Training committee with letter of agreement from his/her study supervisor and ‘No Objection Certificate’ from Ministry of Health of his/her home country.
• Final report will be sent by FETP to his home MOH.
• FETP will not be responsible for funding of travel and other cost related to such study.