This course provides a further introduction to medical statistics, following on from Medical Statistics. It will cover commonly used analyses from both clinical and laboratory studies not previously covered in Medical Statistics. The aim is to ensure that students can appraise the literature that includes the methods covered and also are able to use these methods to analyse datasets themselves.

The course will run during second half of semester 1 and the beginning of semester 2.

Exam (20%), Statistics assignment (80%)

The course aims to extend core skills in critical review and data analysis for statistics in order to equip students for their own practice. It also aims to enable them to evaluate and understand the medical literature that utilises the statistical methods covered.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Apply the statistical analysis methods covered to appropriate datasets;

2. Apply statistical principles introduced in Medical Statistics to topics covered;

3. Specify a relevant hypothesis in relation to a research question on topics covered;

4. Display graphically and describe the data collected;

5. Apply appropriate simple statistical analysis using a computer package such as Minitab or SPSS;

6. Evaluate the results of a study and communicate them to both technical and lay audiences;

7. Critically appraise the statistical methods, results and clinical implications of published and other research.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.