DMU Leicester

Postgraduate Courses in the
School of Computing Sciences

MSc/Diploma in Medical Statistics



Introduction
This course in run jointly by the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Leicester University and the Department of Medical Statistics, De Montfort University Leicester

Medical Statistics represents a major area of application of statistical theory and methods. Current developments seem to ensure that is will remain so for some time to come. The debate surrounding such issues as

  • Smoking and cancer
  • The fluoridation of water
  • Diet, stress and heart disease
  • Safety of new medicines
involve fundamental statistical argument - clear assessment of all the available evidence by expert statisticians is literally vital.

Career Opportunities
There is no lack of job opportunities for medical statisticians. Medicine has in recent years been the greatest single growth area in statistical employment, and graduates from the course are able to choose from a wide variety of vacancies. Many have started careers in the pharmaceutical industry while others have become research assistant on projects within universities, medical research institutes, or in the health service. Salaries in industry have compared very favourably with those offered to new graduates. Although the course stresses those areas of statistics of particular interest to the medical statistician, the range of material covered and the practical nature of the course, with its extensive use of standard statistical packages, would provide a firm basis for a statistical career in many other disciplines. Former students have obtained employment in agricultural and biological research institutes, and as computing specialists in commerce and industry.

Course Aims
The course provides a comprehensive coverage of those areas of statistics and computing which the medical statistician must know thoroughly. By emphasising the practical application of each theoretical technique and the central role of the computer in modern statistics, the course aims to equip students with skills that will make them rapidly capable of useful employment without extensive further training. While all necessary theory is covered, the emphasis throughout is on understanding and the ability to apply and adapt theory to real-life problems. There can be no substitute for the constant challenge of real data in the development of a good applied statistician.

Course Structure
The taught course extends over the usual academic year with examinations in January and May. The Diploma course ends in June, but those taking the MSc continue their studies working on an approved project. Students may only proceed to the MSc degree if they perform sufficiently well in the examinations and coursework. The course has a modular structure with each module being taught over a one-week period. Students can complete assignments and practical work during the period between modules, which also provides opportunity for preliminary reading for the following modules. A list of modules is given below;
  • Epidemiology 1
  • Clinical Trials 1
  • Statistical Methods
  • Statistical Inference
  • Linear Models
  • Generalised Linear Models
  • Clinical Trials 2
  • Analysis of Counts and Proportions
  • Survival Data
  • Epidemiology 2
  • Decision Making
  • Repeated Measures
  • Medical Decision Support Systems
An important factor in the success of a practising statistician is the ease with which he or she communicates with others, particularly with people lacking in mathematical or numerical expertise. Training in such communication, including consultancy skills, is given by two miniprojects and a consultancy training project. In the two miniprojects, piece of medical research is described and the data presented. After full discussion, students have two weeks to do their background reading, analyse the data and present a fully-documented report on their findings. Clarity of presentation is valued just as highly as statistical content.

Part-time Study
Very flexible arrangements are possible for students wishing to take the course part-time. The usual scheme is to take the course over two or three years, attending between three and eight of the short modules each year. The assigned practical work may be done either in Leicester or elsewhere and deadlines can be arranged to suit students' other commitments. Some of the written papers may be taken before the whole course is completed. Those proceeding to project work are allowed 12 months from the last written examination before handing in the their dissertations. The course is, we believe, particularly suitable for the in-service training of existing statisticians as well as those seeking a change of career. Such applicants are particularly welcome and are invited to discuss their particular circumstances with Professor Derek Teather.

Admission Requirements
Students will normally have obtained a good honours degree (1st of 2nd class) in mathematics or a subject having a substantial mathematical content. They normally will be expected to have attended at least 100 hours of lectures in probability and statistics during their degree course. Any student with insufficient previous knowledge will be required to undertake a course of prescribed reading, prior to starting the course, under the guidance of one of the members of staff. A preliminary year can also be arranged in which a student takes a selection of suitable undergraduate courses which aim to provide adequate preparation for the MSc/Diploma.

Financial Support
The course is allocated a quota of EPSRC and MRC Advanced Course Studentships. A number of studentships provided by the pharmaceutical industry are also available; these provide more generous support than the research council grants. All grants are allocateed by the course organisers to the most suitable applicants, usually in April or May. Applicant do not therefore have to apply direct to EPSRC or MRC, but merely indicate which, if any, grants they with to be considered for on their application form.

How to apply
Enquiries about admission to the course should be directed to:

Professor Derek Teather
The School of Computing Sciences
De Montfort University
The Gateway
Leicester LE1 9BH
Tel:(0116) 2577472 dte@dmu.ac.uk
 Other enquiries should be directed to:

Professor David Jones
Epidemiology and Public Health
University of Leicester
22-28 Princess Road West
Leicester LE1 6TP, UK
Tel:(0116) 2523196 drj@leicester.ac.uk
http://www.prw.le.ac.uk/epidemio/staff/drj.html


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