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A (relatively) junior doctor’s perspective on medical statistics

A (relatively) junior doctor’s perspective on medical statistics. Carl Ilyas CT1 Anaesthetics Leeds. Contents. Medical stats teaching: - Undergraduate Postgraduate A small survey What YOU can do to get the message across. 6 weeks later….

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A (relatively) junior doctor’s perspective on medical statistics

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  1. A (relatively) junior doctor’s perspective on medical statistics Carl Ilyas CT1 Anaesthetics Leeds

  2. Contents • Medical stats teaching: - • Undergraduate • Postgraduate • A small survey • What YOU can do to get the message across

  3. 6 weeks later… • You are an F1 doctor providing medical ward cover overnight. • You are fast bleeped to MAU as a 45 year old man has started profusely vomiting blood. He is an IVDU, has hepatitis C , and a previous endoscopy showed varices. • He is tachycardic, is hypotensive, and has a reduced GCS.

  4. What do you do? A) Panic B) Find the nearest enclosed space, throw your bleep away, and begin to emotionally and mentally unravel • Commence immediate resus efforts, contact a senior and the anaesthetist • All three of the above

  5. Undergrad experience • Hull York Medical School (HYMS) • Formal critical appraisal and stats teaching throughout the course • Theme C examination • Further access to a stats consultancy service, mainly for students doing research • Very variable focus throughout med schools in the region

  6. Foundation years • First 2 years • Foundation syllabus – 86 page document • No formal teaching on stats – PDP days • Opportunity for research and stats experience – ‘ CV stacking’

  7. Core training – the next step… • First steps into speciality training • Formal examinations – MRCP, MRCS, FRCA etc • MCQ based knowledge – mandatory • More opportunity/encouragement re. research, especially in certain specialities.

  8. Registrar training • Further examination on stats • Greater involvement/emphasis on research • Access to courses, closer work with statistical departments • Honing of career path….

  9. Research interests Teaching interests Consultant doctor plus… Management …..or ‘just a jobbing’ doctor?

  10. So, what do doctors think of stats teaching? • A survey of 42 doctors experiences and opinions of training in medical statistics.

  11. In your opinion, how could postgraduate teaching in medical statistics be improved? “Any teaching welcome/more teaching” ad nauseum… “Teaching, not necessarily by statistics experts” “Optional formalised teaching – some enjoy, others hate” “ Weekly journal clubs, with critical appraisal by trainees” “ It doesn’t need to be great, as we don’t use stats very often” “ Teaching of stats beyond basic level is probably best reserved for those using them on a regular basis i.e research clinicians”

  12. “ Include stats in regional teaching days” “ Journal club meetings and to explore stats techniques” “ Needs to be more clinical orientated” “ Regular talks from statisticians in departmental meetings with relevant examples from journals” “Make it more understandable, enjoyable and interesting” “Include in matrix/ PDP days” “ Sign up sessions”

  13. Survey outcome • Generally poor view of statistics teaching throughout all levels • Many doctors having minimal, if any, formal teaching on stats until later stages of training • Many not comfortable doing basic appraisal

  14. So what’s to be done?

  15. Suggestions from survey • Not all doctors need to be able to perform stats calculations, but all require appraisal skills • For greater statistical literacy, widespread changes necessary from early stages of training • Greater incorporation of statistics into formal teaching programmes, and in the CME matrix

  16. What can YOU do? • Greater levels of work with doctors from an early stage offering teaching on basic appraisal and statistical methods • Departmental/formal teaching utilising relevant clinical scenarios and journal articles to help make information more accessible • For those junior doctors interested in research, access to courses to improve ability to understand and perform statistical analysis • Using/developing online resources for convenient access

  17. Summary • Stats teaching often neglected, especially in early stages of training • No formal foundation teaching, variable medical school delivery, out of context content at core level • Generally perceived poor standard of delivery/accessibility of stats teaching • Doctors keen to learn about stats if given opportunity

  18. Thanks for your attention. Questions/comments?

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