Public Health Surveillance

Learn how surveillance systems are used, analysed and evaluated to inform public health action and policy.

Time:Price
$1,037 (2023)/$1,118 (2024)		Time:Duration
32 hours 		Time:Delivery
Face to Face 		Time:Available
November 2023/August 2024

2023 Course 2: From 13 - 16 November in Melbourne at the Melbourne Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth Street.

2024 Course 1: From 19 - 23 August, commencing (and concluding) at noon at the University's Rozelle Campus in Sydney.

About this short course

This course will provide you with the essential background on the surveillance systems used in public health, and the strengths and limitations of the data held within those systems.

You will gain the skills and knowledge required to perform descriptive analyses of surveillance data, how to interpret surveillance data appropriately to inform public health action and established methods of evaluating surveillance systems to ensure they are fit for purpose.

Who should do this course?


This short course is a great opportunity for professional development and has been specifically designed for those working within local, state, national or international governments, as well as notifiers, data recipients and other participants in public health surveillance.  As a participant you will be able to draw on your own experience during the course.

Course Structure

The course comprises a four-day, face-to-face workshop.  The workshop will incorporate interactive lectures, examples and activities to enable you to apply the learning within your own contexts.

On completion of your course you will receive a digital certificate, to demonstrate your developmental achievement.

What you will learn

Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:

  1. Perform descriptive analysis of surveillance data.
  2. Explain the strengths and limitations of surveillance data and interpret surveillance data appropriately.
  3. Describe the different types of surveillance systems used in public health, their objectives, and how surveillance data is used for public health action.
  4. Apply surveillance system attributes to evaluate a surveillance system in public health.

Workshop Registrations

November 2023 registration August 2024 registration

Apply for credit into the Graduate Certificate of Health Protection or the Master of Public Health upon completion.

Learn from experienced public health practitioners and educators, who played a formative role in preparing Tasmania’s response to COVID19.

Engage in an intensive and participatory learning experience.

Michelle McPherson

Michelle McPherson is a communicable disease epidemiologist with experience working at the state, national and international level. She has worked in several public health settings across Australia, including health departments in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia, as well as the Australian Government Department of Health and the World Health Organization.

Michelle has extensive teaching experience spanning public health and communicable disease epidemiology and has developed and taught workshops in these topics both locally and internationally.

Nicola Stephens

Associate Professor Nicola Stephens is a member of the public health team in the School of Medicine.

Nicola is an epidemiologist with a strong background in public health surveillance and management in health departments across three Australian states, with a focus on communicable diseases, environmental health, data linkage and antimicrobial resistance.

Both Nicola and Michelle are members of the Public Health Team in the School of Medicine at the University of Tasmania and held roles in the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Operations Centre in Tasmania.

August 2023 registration November 2023 registration