Competencies in research and development - Statistics 2

Details

Title

Competencies in research and development - Statistics 2

Type

Stage Two

Module code

HLS104

Requirement

Compulsory

Module objective

By the end of the training period trainees will, in respect of having experience in research and development to develop skills in independent and team-driven problem solving, critical assessment of published work and for gaining analytical expertise

be able to:*

• analyse, synthesise, evaluate and apply knowledge
• perform, adapt and master a range of technical and clinical skills and procedures
• demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours necessary for professional practice as a consultant clinical scientist dealing with the complexities, uncertainties and tensions of professional practice at this level

*All trainees to undertake at least one research project during their first three years of training. The project should be consistent with the research and development programme of the laboratory or hospital and should be sufficiently novel and timely to be suitable for presentation at a scientific meeting and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Research for a higher degree, or for a dissertation for the Part 2 FRCPath examination may be initiated during Stage 4.

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise relevant knowledge and its application to their professional practice in relation to:

• scientific and research ability
• principles of critical review
• research presentation skills

Data handling and statistical methods 

• statistical interpretation of:
  • laboratory and population data
  • standard deviation and error
  • median and mean
  • linear regression and correlation methods
  • methods of assessing agreement of analytical methods
  • Bland-Altman plots
  • F-test
  • analysis of variance
  • independent events
  • concept of significance and related statistics
  • t- test
  • confidence intervals
  • non-parametric statistic
  • predictive value: positive and negative
  • specificity and sensitivity
  • receiver operating characteristic curves
  • odds ratios
  • relative risk
  • chi-square tests
  • curve fitting routinesconfidence intervals
  • power calculations

Research and development in the NHS

• framework and funding of NHS R&D
• ethics committees
• hospital R&D structures
• health technology assessment
• project grant schemes
• research councils
• charitable research funding sources.

Technical and clinical skills

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of current relevant research, theory and knowledge and its application to the performance, adaptation and mastery of the following technical procedures and laboratory skills:

• formulate research questions and develop appropriate experimental design
• undertake analytically and clinically based research and/or development projects
• design, cost, undertake and evaluate experiments
• troubleshoot methods, make appropriate modifications and test for validity
• use of statistics appropriate to clinical and laboratory practice
• writing reports
• obtaining consent for the use of tissue and other samples in research
• critical review and appraisal of literature
• assessing the validity of data, experimental design and problem solving techniques
• implementing evidence-based clinical biochemistry
• using library and it facilities
• presenting a poster and publish a paper in a peer-reviewed journal
• use of computers within the laboratory: spread sheets, databases
• correctly analysing of results using appropriate statistical tools
• understanding of the processes for application for grants to support research projects
• writing at least one local research and ethics committee (LREC) submission for a project approval.