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Introduction to Statistical Computing in Clinical Research
Biostat 212 Summer 2009 (1 unit)
Course Director: Mark J. Pletcher, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
and Biostatistics
| OBJECTIVES |
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Performing clinical research in the current era requires
the use of computers, and the clinical research curriculum at UCSF therefore
requires a high level of competency in the use of database, spreadsheet,
and statistical software programs. This course is designed to introduce
you to these programs, prepare you for subsequent courses in the clinical
research curriculum, and teach you the skills you will need to start analyzing
your own clinical research data.
The specific objectives of this course are to provide you
with an introduction to:
1. The roles of spreadsheet, relational database and statistical
software packages such as STATA in analyzing clinical research data;
2. Using STATA for importing, cleaning, managing, describing and analyzing
clinical research data;
3. Applying concepts from other TICR courses using STATA and Excel; and
4. Applying these skills to analyzing data from your own research project.
| PREREQUISITES |
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Designing Clinical Research
(Epi 202, may be taken concurrently) and possession of a MD, PhD, DDS
or PharmD or equivalent doctoral degree. Exceptions to these prerequisites
may be made with the consent of the Course Director, space permitting.
| FACULTY |
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| FORMAT |
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This course will be taught on Tuesday
afternoons during the summer (8/4-9/15) at China Basin. Lectures
are from 1:15-2:45. Labs follow each lecture, staffed from 3:00-4:00.
| SOFTWARE AND TEXTBOOKS |
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Required: STATA 10 (or earlier version)
The statistical software package Stata (Stata Corporation,
College Station, Texas) is used in the program. This software package
is required for the course. We strongly recommend that you purchase a
personal copy of this program and bring a laptop to all Lab sessions in
China Basin. Along with wireless Internet access, the computer lab at
China Basin has a very limited number of computer terminals that may be
used during labs. You can also get access to STATA in the library computers
at Parnassus (with a GALEN password). The lab sessions will be much less
useful, however, if you cannot actually work on the assignments during
the lab, so make every effort to bring your laptop with Stata loaded.
We recommend Stata/SE version 10, but other versions are acceptable for
the class.
Microsoft Excel (Microsoft, Redmund, WA), which is
widely available (including on all UCSF library computers and China Basin
terminals), will also be used in the course.
Optional: The following three books can be ordered from
Stata.com at stata.com/bookstore, and will also be placed
on reserve at the UCSF Library:
Getting Started with Stata (GSS) - This manual comes
with your purchase of STATA if you get the Base Stata Documentation Set.
A Visual Guide to Stata Graphics (VGSG) - Useful
reference for creating figures.
An Introduction to Stata for Health Researchers (ISHR)
- Nice overview and instruction on many basic topics.
| ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING |
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Assignments-Grades will be based on the Lab assignments
and the Final Project. Lab assignments will be due by the start of lecture
the following week, and should be emailed to the course email address
at either Biostat212_section1@yahoo.com
or Biostat212_section2@yahoo.com.
Labs turned in <1 week late will receive half credit; after that, no points
will be awarded. The Final Project, a Table and Figure created from your
own data, will count for about half of the roughly 320 total points possible
for the course, and will be due on 9/22/09.
Grading is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory-Students must
hand in all six labs (even if late), must complete a satisfactory Final
Project, and must receive at least 80% of the total number of points assigned
during the quarter to receive a “Satisfactory” grade.
| ENROLLMENT |
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This course is open to a limited number of individuals outside
of the ATCR and Master's programs. Preference is given to UCSF-affiliated
personnel. We regret that auditing is not permitted. To enroll in this
course please fill out and submit the application below. Cost and submission
information are in the application.
Application
(Word doc, 20KB)
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