Using and Understanding Medical Statistics

A visual guide to interpreting medical research statistics

Many clinicians lack the statistical training needed to critically appraise published research, yet evidence-based practice demands exactly that skill. Using and Understanding Medical Statistics takes a deliberately visual, clinician-centred approach, using over 200 figures and real-world journal article examples to build intuitive understanding of the methods encountered in medical literature.

Coverage spans descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and confidence intervals, linear and logistic regression, survival analysis, and advanced observational techniques including propensity score matching and interrupted time series. Each chapter closes with simulation-based exercises that mirror genuine medical research scenarios, reinforcing practical application of each technique.

The book also features:

• “Key Concepts” summaries at the end of each section that scaffold understanding and prepare readers for subsequent topics
• Technical sections marked by a chili icon at subheadings, allowing readers to skip advanced material without losing continuity
• Chapter summaries providing high-level overviews that support rapid review and consolidation of statistical methods covered
• Examples inspired by published journal articles rather than generic datasets, grounding every technique in authentic clinical contexts
• Mathematical notation kept to an absolute minimum, connecting high-school mathematics to the statistical sophistication of modern research

Designed for postgraduate healthcare researchers, PhD students in medical sciences, and clinicians pursuing continuing professional development or transitioning into academia, this book builds the statistical literacy required to evaluate study reliability and apply research findings confidently to patient care.

Char Leung is a Lecturer in Epidemiology and Medical Statistics at the University of Leicester, where he teaches students enrolled in the MBChB and B. Clinical Sciences programs, and supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Leicester and the University of Cambridge.