As a medical affairs manager, understanding statistical principles is essential not only for interpreting study results but also for engaging credibly with healthcare professionals and internal stakeholders.
Before diving deeper, test your statistical thinking with this short 3-question quiz – based on real-world misconceptions. Then, check how well you did and explore how the Essentials of Statistical Thinking for Medical Affairs course can boost your skills.
Quick Quiz: Are You Statistically Savvy?
1. If the 95% confidence intervals of two treatments (A and B) overlap, can we conclude there's no statistically significant difference between them?
A) Yes
B) No
C) Only if the sample size is small
Correct answer: B
Overlapping 95% confidence intervals do not always imply a lack of statistical significance. Significance testing requires a more precise comparison, such as directly calculating a p-value or confidence interval for the difference between groups.
2. When the event of interest is common, is the odds ratio the preferred measure over the risk ratio?
A) Yes
B) No
C) Only in case-control studies
Correct answer: B
The odds ratio can overestimate the perceived risk, especially when the event is common. The risk ratio is often more intuitive and interpretable in such cases.
3. Can a linear regression model be used to estimate a non-linear relationship between two variables?
A) No, it requires non-linear regression
B) Yes, if the variable transformation is applied
C) Yes, because “linear” refers to the model's coefficients, not the relationship itself
Correct answer: C
“Linear regression” refers to models linear in their parameters, not necessarily in the variables. By transforming variables (e.g., using polynomials or log terms), linear regression can model complex, non-linear relationships.
Why This Matters for Medical Affairs
Understanding these nuances helps you:
Communicate statistical findings accurately
Ask the right questions during data reviews
Avoid common interpretation pitfalls in clinical studies and publications
Ready to Master These Concepts?
🎓 If you want to learn about:
- Understanding and correctly interpreting key statistical concepts and terms used in medical studies.
- How to critically evaluate the statistical methodology that has been used in a medical study.
- Avoiding common errors and misinterpretations that could lead to flawed conclusions.
- Key considerations for clinical and RWE studies, including time-to-event analysis and meta-analysis.
- Effectively communicating statistical findings by transforming data into clear, meaningful narratives using best practices in visual data presentation.
👉 Attend Dr Kristof Theys’ highly praised 1-day course:
Essentials of Statistical Thinking for Medical Affairs
With Dr Kristof Theys
