Practical Statistics in Medical Research
8-11 April 2014
Organisers and Tutors
The course is jointly organised by the Biostatistics Group (UCLH/UCL/Royal
Free Biomedical Research Unit and UCL Partners Research Support Centre) and Statistical Science (UCL). The main speakers and tutors are: Prof. Doug Altman (University
of Oxford), Dr Rumana Omar, Dr Julie Barber, Dr Gareth Ambler and Dr Gianluca Baio (UCL Statistical Science and UCL Partners Research Support Centre), Paul Bassett and Dr Zoe Fox (UCL Partners Research Support Centre) and Caroline Doré and Dr Andrew Copas (UCL and MRC Clinical Trials Unit).
Dates and times
8th - 11th April 2014.
About the course
Medical statistics plays an essential role in all stages of a quantitative health care research project from design through to analysis and interpretation. This intensive course covers the essential principles and methods required. Emphasis is on study design, appropriate analysis, and interpretation of results. The underlying concepts of statistical analysis as well as basic and some more advanced analysis techniques are covered. Sessions include lectures and practical work, both computer based and using small workshops for discussion. The course has been running for more than 15 years and has earned an international reputation. Lectures are taught by experienced medical statisticians from high class academic institutions.
Course aims and objectives
The course aims to teach health care researchers the essential elements of research methodology and statistics. The focus is mainly on interpretation and understanding appropriate methodology.
At the end of the course the participants will have gained an understanding of:
- The various design possibilities for a research project, and the important considerations for observational studies and randomised trials
- The types of data generated in research studies
- The most common methods of analysis for categorical and continuous data, including regression methods and survival analysis
- When particular methods are appropriate and how to interpret their results
- Reviewing and appraising published research
Who should attend?
The course is relevant to all health care professionals or anyone in the health care field who needs to understand, use or carry out health care research studies. Material covered is of an introductory and intermediate level and provides some references and foundation for more advanced techniques. The course assumes a familiarity with the statistical terms used in the medical literature (e.g. P-values and confidence intervals) but does not assume any deep understanding.
Course content
The course is structured into a number of teaching sessions per day, most consisting of a lecture followed by a practical. Practicals are either computer based for analysis work or workshop style in smaller groups. Discussion is very much encouraged. Participants are provided with an extensive course folder including presentations, practical questions, solutions and recommended reading.
The following topics are covered:
- Basics of Study Design
- Introduction to Data Analysis
- Estimation and Hypothesis Testing
- Design of Observational Studies
- Design of Randomised Trials
- Comparing Groups of Continuous Data
- Comparing Groups of Categorical Data
- Correlation and Linear Regression
- Sample Size Calculations
- Further Regression Topics
- Measures of Disease and Confounding
- Logistic Regression
- Analysis of Survival Data
- Analysis of Correlated Data
- Statistics in Medical Journals
- Advanced Issues in Trials
- Missing Data
- An Overview of Statistical Methods
Comments from participants of previous courses
"I wish I'd been taught this well at medical school!"
"Well planned and organised course"
"I have enjoyed the course even though I don't like Statistics!"
"Inspiring and a real treat, good enthusiastic teachers, superlative in all respects"
"Practicals very well designed, tutors extremely patient and helpful"
"As a surgeon my aim was to get an understanding of which statistics to use for certain studies. I think the course has done this well"
"Very improved understanding of overwhelming statistical theory… course very well organised"
"This is the best medical statistics course I have attended"
"Please think very hard before trying to "improve" this marvellous, no-nonsense, no mumbo-jumbo statistics course!"
Recommended reading
Books recommended as good accompaniments to the course and for background or further reading are:
D.G. Altman Practical Statistics for Medical Research Chapman and Hall
J.M. Bland An Introduction to Medical Statistics Oxford
B.R. Kirkwood and J.A. Sterne Essential Medical Statistics Blackwell
Accreditation
This course is accredited with 21 CPD points (pending) from the Royal College of Physicians. Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate of attendance.
Course fee
TBA.
Awards for UCLH, UCL and Royal Free researchers
TBA.
Location
The course will be held in the Department of Statistical, University College London (UCL). This is located at 1-19 Torrington Place, just off Tottenham Court Road.
How to register
Please contact Sarah Hayden:
Sarah Hayden (Course Administrator)
Joint Research Office, UCL, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)20 3447 5195
Fax: +44 (0)20 3447 9937
Email: s.hayden@ucl.ac.uk
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