This course delves with advanced topics in biostatistics for applications in the fields of clinical and public health research. Topics include advanced biostatistics for observational studies and interventional clinical trials, including assessment of diagnostic accuracy of novel tests, linear, and multivariable regression analyses, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Factor Analysis (FA), Generalized Linear Methods (GLM), time series analyses, and survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox Proportional Hazards). The course concludes with scientific writing and reporting of statistical results according to CONSORT Guidelines, as well as a tool box skills module for reviewing journal manuscripts. Statistical analysis using IBM SPSS v.29 software is applied in each module with practical applications of real world research databases.

Who is this course for and why should I take it?

This course is intended for undergraduate and graduate students in allied health fields, research investigators and/or healthcare professionals involved in clinical or public health research seeking to master their data analysis skills and striving to enhance their research outputs. The course is also ideal for those in the academia who have an interest in further advancing and mastering their data analysis skills and publishing in high impact factor journals.

Acquiring knowledge and skills in statistical analysis is important for any practitioner that seeks to provide evidence-based solutions for real-world medical and public health challenges that require data analysis. Applied statistics is increasingly important across fields, including research, commercial sector (relating to i.e. health technology and administration, biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry), non-governmental organizations and governmental public health work.

The course provides practical skills for conducting advanced biostatical analyses in the fields of observational and interventional research studies, including clinical, epidemiologic and public health research. Upon course completion, attendees will have acquired the required knowledge and skills for conducting independently advanced biostatistics methods, as detailed in the course description, using SPSS.

• Two of the top five fastest-growing skills for employment are related to data analytics. (LinkedIn, 2020)
• The top skills and skill groups which employers see rising in prominence in the lead up to 2025 include groups such as critical thinking and analysis. (WEF – Future of Jobs, 2020)
• Data analysis is the most in-demand skill since employers need to discern when patterns in data are meaningful, so that accurate and actionable conclusions can be drawn. (Forbes, 2017)