Statistical Training for MDs and PhDs Posted on October 19, 2007 Both MDs and PhDs need to stay up-to-date with statistical methods, states Ruth M. O'Hara (bio).

Statistical knowledge – biomethods and statistical knowledge is a key core component for anybody going into mental health research. No matter what area of psychiatry you’re going into, it is essential to have a very strong knowledge and grounding in bio-statistical methods. Two things happen that are interesting and we observe. Individuals coming from an MD background have not had the Ph.D. training; they’re very much a tabula rasa in terms of their understanding of methodologies for mental health research. And that training is essential and they need – whether they’re in a Fellowship or whether they’re going straight into an Assistant Professorial track with a K, to make sure that a strong part of their didactic core curriculum is covered by a statistical methods. That’s part of the rules by which we play – it’s an essential component.

What is ironic is there’s a tendency – I think – to over estimate the statistical acumen of the Ph.D. training, particularly for psychologists. Not because that training is not strong, but it is given in a definitive way in Ph.D. programs, such that psychologists can be very na? – I think – about the fact these are not always immutable approaches. You don’t always just always use ANOVAs. You have to really learn that many of the models that we employ in bio-statistics are developing, like the moderator mediator model from the MacArthur model, that’s in a continual state of flux – it’s more set now – but it was, it’s in counter to the Baron and Kenny model.

Most psychologists have the Baron and Kenny model in hand but really don’t know necessarily there are other models out there. If you’re going into mental health research and you want make it a career as a good academic clinician, you have to be aware of the changing statistics and methods that are evolving all the time, and you have to be open to that. You don’t come with a package equipment and are ready to go.

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