Wednesday, 7 May 2014

Tutorial 6 May 2014


Julie Morris, Head of Medical Statistics at Manchester University and one of the editors of the BMJ gave a tutorial on how to criticise a paper with only 15 minutes to prepare.
This has come a few times in the OSCE, so you need a plan and some idea of technique.
Julie gives a good idea of how to go about this.
I have also written a few thoughts.
Send me what you come up with and I'll send my version.
You should then be well prepared.

We then had a roleplay about basic statistics.
The questions asked were:


1.       what is the range?
2.       what is the mean?
3.       what is the median?
4.       what is the mode?
5.       how are they related if the distribution is normal?
6.       what is a normal distribution?
7.       what terms apply to a distribution curve if the tail on the right extends further than that on the left?  It is asymmetric, no longer normally-distributed and is positively skewed.
8.       what is is the interquartile range? 
9.       what is the standard deviation?
10.   what is the standard error?
11.   what percentage of results lie within 1 standard deviation of the mean if the distribution in normal? 
12.   what percentage of results lie within 2 standard deviation of the mean if the distribution in normal?
13.   what percentage of results lie within 3 standard deviation of the mean if the distribution in normal?
14.   what is the null hypothesis?
15.   if we reject the null hypothesis, what are we left with?
16.   what is a type I error?
17.   what is a type II error?
18.   what is the use of “non-inferiority” in a trial?
19.   when might “non-inferiority” be useful?
20.   what is the confidence interval in relation to a value?
21.   what is a phase 1 clinical trial?
22.   what is a phase 2 clinical trial?
23.   what is a phase 3 clinical trial?
24.   what is a phase 4 clinical trial?
25.   what is “intention to treat” and why is it important?
26.   what is the point in living if I have to know all this stuff?
 I only wrote this yesterday afternoon, so there are a few bits to add.
Send me your answers and I'll send my version - I hope to get time to write this in the next day or two.
We also discussed Cochrane as this has been asked in the exam.
The questions asked were:

1. What kind of organisation is the Cochrane Collaboration?
2. What is its overall structure?
3. Where does it get its funding?
4. What are the components of the Cochrane logo? 
5.What does the Collaboration do?
6. Why is it called “Cochrane”?
7. Explain the forest plot you were given.
The Forest plot can be found here: 

It is similar to the one used in the Cochrane logo. 





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