Jae W. Song|Kevin C. Chung
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Michigan Medicine|Michigan Medicine
commonly thought physicians struggle statistical concepts1altman dg bland jm improving doctors understanding statisticsj r statist soc 1991 154 223267crossref google scholar 2editorial mathematics medicinelancet 1937 1 31google scholar 3schoolman hm clinician statisticianstat med 1982 1 311316crossref pubmed scopus 3 google scholar last 50 years statistics started gain popularity medical school curricula taught core subject medical schools4looney sw grady cs steiner rp update biostatistics requirements us medical schoolsacad med 1998 73 9294crossref pubmed scopus 18 google scholar however early exposure statistics medical students may translate retention knowledge evident particularly practicing physicians asked critically evaluate validity statistical tests presented literature recent survey united kingdom showed 62 clinicians stated wished understood probability statistics5swift l miles price gm shepstone l leinster sj doctors need statistics doctors use attitudes probability statisticsstat med 2009 28 19691981crossref pubmed scopus 32 google scholar results consistent survey medical residents united states 77 reported would like learn statistics6windish dm huot sj green ml medicine residents understanding biostatistics results medical literaturejama 2007 298 10101022crossref pubmed scopus 247 google scholar findings echo sentiment written editorial lancet 1937 regarding strained relationship clinicians statistics statistics curious things afford one examples use abuse mathematical methods tends induce strong emotional reaction nonmathematical minds statisticians apply problems interested technique understand2editorial mathematics medicinelancet 1937 1 31google scholar ease struggle hand surgeons may encounter statistics article7song jw haas chung kc applications statistical tests hand surgeryj hand surg 2009 34a 18721881google scholar provides brief review principles commonly used statistical tests hand surgery literature satiate growing appetite statistical knowledge among hand surgeons effort important 2 reasons first exponential increase statistics clinical literature observed8horton nj switzer ss statistical methods journaln engl j med 2005 353 19771979crossref pubmed scopus 103 google scholar second clinicians recognizing importance statistical literacy given current evidencebased medicine movement5swift l miles price gm shepstone l leinster sj doctors need statistics doctors use attitudes probability statisticsstat med 2009 28 19691981crossref pubmed scopus 32 google scholar 6windish dm huot sj green ml medicine residents understanding biostatistics results medical literaturejama 2007 298 10101022crossref pubmed scopus 247 google scholar follow suggestions put forth altman bland1altman dg bland jm improving doctors understanding statisticsj r statist soc 1991 154 223267crossref google scholar attempted cover relevant concepts frame reference hand surgeons make audience journal likely understand unveiled jargon explaining core principles language would enhance comprehension used illustrations examples hand surgery literature eschewed mathematical equations effort naturally translates improving communication multiple levels physicians appraising medical literature medical researchers working statisticians certainly statisticians would agree communication effective work medical researchers basic understanding statistical concepts terminology finally agree methodological topics related study designssuch patient selection randomization blinding observational versus experimental study designsalso play important role building clinicians knowledge base naturally validity conclusions drawn statistical analyses data collected poorly designed study questioned ability discern quality poorly designed study requires one understand pitfalls study designs topics however traditionally thought make related distinct discipline clinical epidemiology distinction also unveiled musings theodore colton9colton statistics medical curriculumacad med 1998 73 67crossref pubmed scopus 3 google scholar founding editor journal statistics medicine one would dispute fact concepts clinical epidemiology necessary critical knowledge base practicing clinicians medical researchers however strongly believe understanding general principles underlie commonly seen statistical tests equally important given statistical analyses accompany data gathered studies fact echoes disposition editorial lancet written nearly 70 years ago simple statistical methods concern us far closely many things forced learn six long years medical curriculum2editorial mathematics medicinelancet 1937 1 31google scholar statistics hand surgeryjournal hand surgeryvol 35issue 5previewi dismayed see article song haas chung1 statistics deep sophisticated discipline attempt summarize 10 pages must doomed surprised leading journal hand surgery would even consider article journal american statistical association would never publish 10page summary discipline hand surgery emphasis select appropriate procedures attempt equally wrongheaded fulltext pdf