Do you have an average number of legs? Most likely you have slightly more than the mean number of lower limbs if you think about it. It is important to be able to describe data properly so that we convey the correct and accurate meaning.
In his second podcast on medical statistics, Rob Radcliffe takes us through descriptive statistics, central tendency and normal distribution in an accessible and painless fashion. Easy to understand explanations are supplemented with diagrams and charts so that you will know how to apply descriptive statistics to data by the end of the podcast and also how to interpret others data when you see it in publications.
This podcast gives you an essential basis in medical statistics which you will need to understand before moving onto the the next in the series, which will explain hypothesis testing. It is essential viewing for all medical students, trainees in surgery and even senior surgeons who want an easy to understand refresher and were afraid to ask.
A knowledge of statistics and competency in data interpretation are now integral parts of many interview, exam and selection processes.
Rob Radcliffe is a former mathematics teacher and is currently a trainee in surgery in the East Midlands School of Surgery, UK