Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Synopsis

Students will be exposed to real-life biostatistical problems in an academic health research environment, industry or government under supervision by an experienced biostatistician with a staff or honorary appointment at Monash University. They will be allocated, or may select, 1 or more research projects, and required to make regular contact with the associated health research personnel together with the supervisor. Under the guidance of the supervisor, the student will assume responsibility for statistical aspects of the relevant research project(s), and perform an analysis of appropriate complexity for the project then present and interpret the results in a written and oral form.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. appreciate the challenges facing a biostatistician in professional practice;
2. demonstrate strategies for elicitation of pertinent research questions and associated biostatistical issues from a health or medical research project;
3. collaborate with a medical researcher in devising a strategy for statistical analysis of the research data;
4. perform data integrity checks and an appropriate statistical analysis;
5. present the results and their interpretation in a written report suitable for presentation to a clinical research journal.

Assessment

Written report 100%

Chief examiner(s)

Professor Andrew Forbes

Contact hours

20 hours per week

Prerequisites

MPH1040, EPM5002, EPM5003, EPM5004, EPM5005, EPM5009 & EPM5014

Prohibitions

This unit is only available to students enrolled in the Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Masters of Biostatistics.

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at:

http://www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/pgrad