The practice of medicine in the 21^st century will require that as a clinician one is able to effectively evaluate the medical literature and improve and expand the practice of any field of medicine.  The self-study modules provided are meant as a primer of basic biostatistics as used by a practicing clinician.  While this does not encompass the entire curriculum of biostatistics it is designed to aid you in an understanding of the scientific principles need to evaluate the changes constantly occurring in medicine.  The information reviewed in the sessions is designed to provide the foundation for the evaluation of the methods of clinical research, including the evaluation of studies about harm, diagnosis, and therapy.  These sessions will provide you with the knowledge and vocabulary to, in the following semesters in both the Introduction to the Practice of Medicine course and clinical clerkships in your third and fourth years, evaluate the information provided and begin the difficult practice of Evidence Based Medicine.

All three sections will be available so you can study at your own pace.

Lesson links :

• Section 1: Basic Biostatistics
• Section 2
• Section 3

Resources:

• Sackett DL, et al.  Evidence Based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. 2nd ed. Wolfe Pub. Ltd. 2000.

• Riegelman R.  Studying a Study and Testing a Test: How to Read Medical Evidence. 4th edition. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins 2000.

• Glossary of Statistical Terms (presented in Section One)

• Dawson-Saunders B.  Basic and Clinical Biostatics. 2^nd ed.  Appleton and Lange, Conn 1994.

This web site is maintained courtesy of the Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics & Health Policy

Last Updated: 11/21/2008