Strengthening Biostatistical Skills of Medical Doctors and Health Professional through A Hands-on Approach

摘要

Background: In the area of evidence based medicine (EBM), biostatistics and epidemiology are considered as the main elements aiding the health professional to design a research study, understand the literature, and make decisions about patient care. Planners and policy-makers in the medical health science education institute need to apply research-based information to maintain and improve quality of teaching-learning processes. Methods: Eighteen until twenty-five medical doctors and health professionals from FM UMM, other universities and hospital, participated in this intervention, which consisted of four day workshop. We assessed the impact of this intervention through pre and post-workshop evaluations. Results: Significant result were obtained that showed the benefits of a biostatistics workshop in clinical research that can help medical doctors and health professionals to develop a conceptual understanding of statistical ideas and their applications to investigate problems of medical and health research (p = 0,0000). The results indicate that workshop approach can facilitate developing statistical knowledge and skills to solve medical and health research problems. Incorporating biostatistics into evidence based medicine practice and curriculum would pave new ways into research fields. MHS faculty should include more effective biostatistics training in their faculty development programs and curricula to successfully prepare educators and students for this important lifelong learning skill.