D. Scot Malay
Statistical Literacy among Foot and Ankle Surgeons
order understand biomedical literature make informed clinical decisions foot ankle surgeons often required interpret statistical information used describe outcomes clinical investigations statistical results presented essentially every published clinical report may used describe association risk factor disease population turn influence interpretation clinical test diagnostic finding indication procure additional tests information combined clinicians experience patients understanding options comprises evidence base upon make clinical decisions many foot ankle surgeons understand biostatistical results many ability use information benefit patients many foot ankle surgeons know definition p value probability null hypothesis false probability getting results least extreme actually obtained null hypothesis true correct answer latter precisely one questions posed obgyn residents published survey focused statistical literacy 1anderson bl williams schulkin j statistical literacy obstetricsgynecology residentsj grad med ed 2013 5 272275crossref pubmed google scholar survey respondents performed poorly 2 statistical literacy questions 26 1222 4713 correctly answering positive predictive value question 42 1989 4713 correctly defining p value opinion likely foot ankle surgical residents would perform similarly way obgyn residents performed poorly posed questions related statistical literacy 2 groups like young surgeons experience little formal training biostatistics exception undergraduate statistics courses perhaps critical appraisal course medical school surgeons get statistical training beyond bits pieces discussed journal club think statistical literacy important prerequisite informed body foot ankle surgeons necessary order us understand risks ask right questions one reasons publish dr jupiters investigators corner issue journal foot ankle surgery also would welcome publication biomedical research focuses association statistical literacy clinical outcomes