Edsel Ing
Aids to statistics literacy for ophthalmologists
Toronto East General Hospital|University of Toronto
statistical acumen fundamental interpretation medical research critical thinking selfdirected learning increased emphasis evidencebased medicine creates greater need educating present future physicians general domain probability statistics1baldi b utts j future doctor know statistics mustinclude topics introductory undergraduate biostatisticsam stat 2015 69 231239crossref scopus 2 google scholar however prerequisite university statistics courses mandated canadian medical schools many medical surgical residents lack statistical knowledge required understand medical research articles2windish dm huot sj green ml medicine residents understanding biostatistics results medical literaturejama 2007 298 10101022crossref pubmed scopus 256 google scholar 3anderson bl williams schulkin j statistical literacy obstetricsgynecology residentsj grad med educ 2013 5 272275crossref pubmed google scholar compromised trying communicate probabilistic concepts risks benefits patients1baldi b utts j future doctor know statistics mustinclude topics introductory undergraduate biostatisticsam stat 2015 69 231239crossref scopus 2 google scholar statistical illiteracy exacerbated increasing complexity study design statistical tests medical publications two decades ago knowledge 10 statistics techniques sufficient understand 90 ophthalmic literature4juzych ms shin dh sevesdsadr siegner sw juzych la statistical techniques ophthalmic journalsarch ophthalmol 1992 110 12251229crossref pubmed scopus 26 google scholar compared 29 techniques present era5lisboa r meirafreitas tatham aj marvasti ah sharpsten l medeiros fa use statistical analyses ophthalmic literatureophthalmology 2014 121 13171321abstract full text full text pdf pubmed scopus 8 google scholar article compiles free less expensive statistics learning tools ophthalmologists online resources include core statistics readings ophthalmologists references choosing appropriate statistical test software analysis programs sample size calculations biostatistics courses suggestion teaching dataset compilation intended clinicians limited statistics background means exhaustive cannot substitute valuable contributions biostatistician research endeavours baldis article short treatise basic statistics material clinicians must understand1baldi b utts j future doctor know statistics mustinclude topics introductory undergraduate biostatisticsam stat 2015 69 231239crossref scopus 2 google scholar gentle introductions statistics include tom senskys basic statistics survival guide slide collection free pdf6sensky 2016 available wwwgooglecawebhpsourceidchromeinstantion1espv2ieutf8qtom20sensky20basic20statistics20a20survival20guide accessed 150116google scholar weaver goldbergs biostatistics texts7weaver goldberg clinical biostatistics epidemiology made ridiculously simple medmaster miami2012google scholar purchased online american journal ophthalmology british journal ophthalmology bjo provide ophthalmologyspecific examples core statistical issues appear literature american journal ophthalmology series8american journal ophthalmologyseries statistics 2015 available accessed 150116wwwajocomcontentstatisticsgoogle scholar comprises 14 short articles statistics including nonparametric methods logistic regression survival analysis ophthalmology statistics series bjo discusses topics effect size unit analysis issues paired eye data bjo articles referenced national institute health research ophthalmology statistics group webpage9nhs ophthalmology statistics groupnational institute health research ophthalmology statistics group 2015 available accessed 150116wwwstatisticsgroupnihracukgroupophthalmologygoogle scholar least 30 free online biostatistics courses10studycom list free online biostatistics courses classes 2015 available httpstudycomarticleslistoffreeonlinebiostatisticscoursesandclasseshtml accessed 150116google scholar addition offered coursera edx petrie sabins online text medical biostatistics glance 11petrie sabin c medical statistics glance 2009 available accessed 150116wwwmedstatsaagcommcqs3aspgoogle scholar offers free online multiplechoice programmed learning modules used reinforce statistics techniques discussed core readings programmed learning modules specific ophthalmology however nayak hazra simple tables document statistical test appropriate ophthalmology research question12nayak bk hazra choose right statistical testindian j ophthalmol 2011 59 8586crossref pubmed scopus 63 google scholar detailed algorithms based number dependent variables nature independent variables found university california los angeles institute digital research education13institute digital research education uclawhat statistical analysis use 2015 available accessed 150116wwwatsuclaedustatmultpkgwhatstatgoogle scholar researchers encouraged consult biostatistician planning research projects complex issues pairedeye data repeated measures require statistical adjustments although microsoft excel httpsproductsofficecomencaexcel statistics functions available computers excel may lead statistical errors14mccullough bd heiser da accuracy statistical procedures microsoft excel 2007comput stat data anal 2008 52 45704578crossref scopus 72 google scholar especially software versions 2010 may wiser reserve excel spreadsheet gathering data wealth alternative free statistical analysis programs available including r15statpagesnet free statistical software 2015 available httpstatpagesorgjavasta2html accessed 150116google scholar power sample size calculations done many statistical packages free online resources16power sample sizecom overview power sample sizecom calculators 2015 available httppowerandsamplesizecomcalculators accessed 150116google scholar general statistics programs menus example sofa wwwsofastatisticscom easier learn author experience nonproprietary software packages author uses stata program wwwstatacom free framingham heart teaching dataset17nih national heart lung blood institutebiolincc teaching datasets 2015 available accessed 150116httpsbiolinccnhlbinihgovteachinggoogle scholar classic freely available publicuse dataset biostatistics teaching framingham dataset 4000 subjects numerous covariates using random number generation variable substitution framingham heart dataset modified include ophthalmic variables provision large database ophthalmic variables may motivational eye residents enhance retention statistics teaching techniques logistic regression survival analysis1baldi b utts j future doctor know statistics mustinclude topics introductory undergraduate biostatisticsam stat 2015 69 231239crossref scopus 2 google scholar statistical literacy necessary skill physicians understand implement research although biostatistician consulted throughout course research endeavours imperative clinician conducting research understand principles statistical analysis wealth free online materials available help ophthalmologists acquire statistical literacy needed selfdirected learning critical evaluation medical literature research