Biostatistics Competencies What the MPH Graduate should be able to do

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Biostatistics CompetenciesWhat the MPH Graduate
should be able to do

• J. Jackson Barnette
• Biostatistics Workgroup Chair
• University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Presented at the ASPH Education Committee Meeting
• Chicago, IL
• May 9, 2005

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Mark Twain on Statistics Speech in Hartford,
Oct. 26, 1880

• A man cant prove anything without statistics
  no man canwhy statistics are more precious and
  useful than any other one thing in this world,
• except whisky.
• I mean hymnbooks.

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Biostats Workgroup Members
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The Process

• The chair, Dr. Jack Barnette (UAB), called for
  the submission of five to ten broad competencies
  from the core workgroup. 
• Eight workgroup members submitted 68 candidate
  competencies for consideration by December 24,
  2004. 
• The chair then reviewed the list in January 2005
  and developed 14 categories of types of
  competencies, as follows

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The Process

• 1.   Basic understanding
• 2.   Measurement
• 3.   Data collection
• 4.   Descriptive statistics
• 5.   Inferential statistics
• 6.   Methodological decision-making
• 7.   Design
• 8.   Data management
• 9.   Use of data analysis software
• 10.  Reviewer and conveyer of published research
• 11.  Written and oral presentation
• 12.  Relation to PH problems/issues/policies
• 13.  Ethical practices
• 14.  Working with other PH professionals

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The Process

• The chair next arranged the 68 candidate
• competencies into the 14 categories, reviewed
  the list, and determined the one or two
  competencies in each category that represented
  the major aspects of the competencies, which were
  submitted. 
• Another workgroup member reviewed the list for
  completeness and for possible duplication. 
• Consequently, the ASPH consultant suggested some
  changes and the chair agreed to a set of 30
  "candidate competencies," which were submitted to
  ASPH for inclusion in the first round of the
  Delphi Process.

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The Process

• The core workgroup participated in
• three subsequent Delphi rounds, the second of
  which was joined by a resource group consisting
  of eight members.
• The chair, subsequently determined the final list
  of 10 competencies with consensus approval from
  the core workgroup.

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The Biostatistics Competencies for the MPH
Graduate

• Upon graduation a student with an MPH should be
  able to

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Competency 1

• Describe the roles biostatistics serves in
• the discipline of public health.

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Competency 2

• Distinguish among the different
• measurement scales (e.g.,
• categorical, ordinal and interval)
• and the implications for selection
• of statistical methods to be used
• based on these distinctions.

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Competency 3

• Apply descriptive techniques
• commonly used to summarize
• public health data including data
• display (tables and figures) and
• measures of distribution shape,
• central tendency, variability,
• correlation, and risk assessment.

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Competency 4

• Understand key concepts of
• probability, random variation, and
• commonly used statistical probability
• distributions such as binomial,
• normal, t, chi-square, and F that
• shape the practice of biostatistics.

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Competency 5

• Apply common statistical methods
• for inference, including estimation,
• confidence intervals, and hypothesis
• testing.

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Competency 6

• Specify preferred methodological
• alternatives to commonly used
• statistical methods when
• assumptions are not met.

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Competency 7

• Apply descriptive and inferential methodologies
• (consisting of sample selection, research and
• hypothesis development, hypothesis testing
• decision errors, power, and sample size)
• according to the type of study design (e.g.,
• case-control, cohort, randomized trial,
• observational, longitudinal, and cross-sectional)
  
• for answering a particular research question.

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Competency 8

• Interpret results of statistical analyses
• found in public health studies including
• assessing the assumptions, quality of data
• (objectivity, reliability, and validity),
• appropriateness of statistical methods,
• and validity and utility of conclusions.

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Competency 9

• Develop written and oral presentations
• based on statistical analyses, with
• explanation of descriptive and inferential
• statistics for both public health professionals
• and educated lay audiences.

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Competency 10

• Use vital statistics and other public
• health records in the description of
• population health characteristics and in
• public health research and evaluation.