Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental?
Introduction It is increasingly essential for medical researchers to be literate in statistics, but the requisite degree of literacy is not the same for every statistical competency in translational research. Statistical competency can range from ‘fundamen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical and Translational Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866116000315/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156867737452544 |
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| author | Felicity T. Enders Christopher J. Lindsell Leah J. Welty Emma K. T. Benn Susan M. Perkins Matthew S. Mayo Mohammad H. Rahbar Kelley M. Kidwell Sally W. Thurston Heidi Spratt Steven C. Grambow Joseph Larson Rickey E. Carter Brad H. Pollock Robert A. Oster |
| author_facet | Felicity T. Enders Christopher J. Lindsell Leah J. Welty Emma K. T. Benn Susan M. Perkins Matthew S. Mayo Mohammad H. Rahbar Kelley M. Kidwell Sally W. Thurston Heidi Spratt Steven C. Grambow Joseph Larson Rickey E. Carter Brad H. Pollock Robert A. Oster |
| author_sort | Felicity T. Enders |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
It is increasingly essential for medical researchers to be literate in statistics, but the requisite degree of literacy is not the same for every statistical competency in translational research. Statistical competency can range from ‘fundamental’ (necessary for all) to ‘specialized’ (necessary for only some). In this study, we determine the degree to which each competency is fundamental or specialized.
Methods
We surveyed members of 4 professional organizations, targeting doctorally trained biostatisticians and epidemiologists who taught statistics to medical research learners in the past 5 years. Respondents rated 24 educational competencies on a 5-point Likert scale anchored by ‘fundamental’ and ‘specialized.’
Results
There were 112 responses. Nineteen of 24 competencies were fundamental. The competencies considered most fundamental were assessing sources of bias and variation (95%), recognizing one’s own limits with regard to statistics (93%), identifying the strengths, and limitations of study designs (93%). The least endorsed items were meta-analysis (34%) and stopping rules (18%).
Conclusion
We have identified the statistical competencies needed by all medical researchers. These competencies should be considered when designing statistical curricula for medical researchers and should inform which topics are taught in graduate programs and evidence-based medicine courses where learners need to read and understand the medical research literature.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94b4f4cea9fc4192a8d7249dc987c111 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2059-8661 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:13Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical and Translational Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-94b4f4cea9fc4192a8d7249dc987c1112023-03-09T12:29:31ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Clinical and Translational Science2059-86612017-06-01114615210.1017/cts.2016.31Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental?Felicity T. Enders0Christopher J. Lindsell1Leah J. Welty2Emma K. T. Benn3Susan M. Perkins4Matthew S. Mayo5Mohammad H. Rahbar6Kelley M. Kidwell7Sally W. Thurston8Heidi Spratt9Steven C. Grambow10Joseph Larson11Rickey E. Carter12Brad H. Pollock13Robert A. Oster14Division of Biomedical Statistics & Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine and Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USADepartment of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USADepartment of Population Health Science and Policy, Center for Biostatistics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USADepartment of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USADepartment of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USADepartment of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, Division of Clinical and Translational Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USADepartment of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USADepartment of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USADepartment of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USADepartment of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USADivision of Biomedical Statistics & Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USADivision of Biomedical Statistics & Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USADepartment of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USADepartment of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Introduction It is increasingly essential for medical researchers to be literate in statistics, but the requisite degree of literacy is not the same for every statistical competency in translational research. Statistical competency can range from ‘fundamental’ (necessary for all) to ‘specialized’ (necessary for only some). In this study, we determine the degree to which each competency is fundamental or specialized. Methods We surveyed members of 4 professional organizations, targeting doctorally trained biostatisticians and epidemiologists who taught statistics to medical research learners in the past 5 years. Respondents rated 24 educational competencies on a 5-point Likert scale anchored by ‘fundamental’ and ‘specialized.’ Results There were 112 responses. Nineteen of 24 competencies were fundamental. The competencies considered most fundamental were assessing sources of bias and variation (95%), recognizing one’s own limits with regard to statistics (93%), identifying the strengths, and limitations of study designs (93%). The least endorsed items were meta-analysis (34%) and stopping rules (18%). Conclusion We have identified the statistical competencies needed by all medical researchers. These competencies should be considered when designing statistical curricula for medical researchers and should inform which topics are taught in graduate programs and evidence-based medicine courses where learners need to read and understand the medical research literature. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866116000315/type/journal_articleStatistical competencyteam scienceClinical and Translational SciencePublic HealthEvidence-Based Medicine |
| spellingShingle | Felicity T. Enders Christopher J. Lindsell Leah J. Welty Emma K. T. Benn Susan M. Perkins Matthew S. Mayo Mohammad H. Rahbar Kelley M. Kidwell Sally W. Thurston Heidi Spratt Steven C. Grambow Joseph Larson Rickey E. Carter Brad H. Pollock Robert A. Oster Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental? Journal of Clinical and Translational Science Statistical competency team science Clinical and Translational Science Public Health Evidence-Based Medicine |
| title | Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental? |
| title_full | Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental? |
| title_fullStr | Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental? |
| title_short | Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental? |
| title_sort | statistical competencies for medical research learners what is fundamental |
| topic | Statistical competency team science Clinical and Translational Science Public Health Evidence-Based Medicine |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866116000315/type/journal_article |
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