School of Public Health
Division of Biostatistics
MS Competencies
1. Demonstrate understanding the use of statistical theory and models in the public health, biomedical, or
bioinformatics arena.
a. Set up appropriate statistical models to examine a particular public
health, biomedical, or bioinformatics phenomenon.
b. Define the limitations and assumptions of statistical models for public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics
research and other applications.
2. Demonstrate understanding of statistical inferences for public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics
datasets across a variety of research designs.
a. Use the appropriate inference framework for a chosen statistical model.
b. Apply appropriate statistical methods to conduct estimation and hypothesis testing.
c. Perform data analysis for public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics datasets and other relevant data sets.
3. Demonstrate hand-on skills to set up and address a research question and to obtain the data appropriate
for the model
a. Apply appropriate statistical models to examine a particular public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics
phenomenon.
b. Select appropriate procedures to perform statistical analysis for public health, biomedical, or
bioinformatics research and to calculate sample size for the research design
c. Integrate epidemiologic principles and other disciplines of public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics
4. Demonstrate adequate ability to use appropriate computational skills to solve the problem
a. Conduct simulation studies for public health problems
b. Apply statistical software packages to perform statistical analysis
5. Demonstrate ability to work in a collaborative setting with public health investigators.
a. Create and manage datasets
b. Read and interpret reports for public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics findings, particular on
quantitative aspect.
c. Present the results from statistical analysis to public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics investigators.
6. Report results of statistical analysis through joint scientific publication and presentation
a. Co-author papers for peer reviewed publications following the scientific community style and ethic
standard
b. Present research findings from statistical analysis and collaborative research at scientific forum.
School of Public Health
Division of Biostatistics
MPH Competencies
1. Describe the roles biostatistics serves in the discipline of public health
2. Apply basic statistical methods for summarizing public health data and for inference.
3. Interpret and present results from the application of basic statistical techniques.
a. Distinguish among the different measurement scales and based on theses distinctions recognize
the implications for selection of appropriate statistical methods.
b. Apply descriptive techniques commonly used to summarize public health data.
c. Recognize concepts of probability, random variation, and commonly used statistical probability
distributions.
d. Apply common statistical methods for inference, including: estimation, confidence intervals, and
hypothesis testing.
e. Use appropriate statistical software and make proper interpretations based on the output.
f. Describe preferred methodological alternatives to commonly used statistical methods when
assumptions are not met.
g. Develop written presentations based on statistical analyses for both public health professionals
and educated lay audiences.
h. Apply basic informatics techniques with vital statistics and public health records in the description
of public health characteristics and in public health research and evaluation
School of Public Health
Division of Biostatistics
PhD Competencies
1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding the use of statistical theory and models in the public health,
biomedical, or bioinformatics arena
a. Develop and use appropriate statistical models to examine a particular public health, biomedical,
or bioinformatics phenomenon.
b. Define the limitations and assumptions of statistical models for public health, biomedical, or
bioinformatics research and other applications.
c. Derive the analytical properties of the statistical models
2. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of statistical inferences for public health, biomedical, or
bioinformatics datasets across a variety of research designs.
a. Derive the appropriate inference framework for a chosen statistical model.
b. Apply both frequentist and Bayesian approach to conduct estimation and hypothesis testing.
c. Perform data analysis for public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics datasets and other relevant
data sets.
3. Demonstrate hand-on skills to set up and address a research question and to obtain the data
appropriate for the model
a. Apply appropriate statistical models to examine a particular public health, biomedical, or
bioinformatics phenomenon.
b. Select appropriate procedures to perform statistical analysis for public health, biomedical, or
bioinformatics research and to calculate sample size for the research design
c. Integrate epidemiologic principles and other disciplines of public health, biomedical, or
bioinformatics knowledge to statistical analysis for public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics
research
4. Demonstrate adequate ability to use appropriate computational skills to solve the problem
a. Conduct simulation studies for complex problems.
b. Apply statistical software packages to perform statistical analysis
5. Demonstrate ability to work in a collaborative setting with public health investigators.
a. Create and manage large datasets
b. Read and interpret reports for public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics findings, particular on
quantitative aspect.
c. Present the results from statistical analysis to public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics
investigators.
6. Demonstrate ability to develop innovative design, analytical and simulated models in public
health, biomedical or biological arena
a. Set up a novel statistical model based on a given public health phenomenon or a biomedical or
PhD Competencies (cont’d)
biological problem.
b. Derive analytical properties for a given statistical model based on a given public health
phenomenon.
c. Perform computer simulations for a given statistical model based on a given public health,
biomedical, or bioinformatics phenomenon.
7. Demonstrate ability to develop methods to conduct statistical inferences for public health ,
biomedical or biological datasets
a. Apply either a frequentist or a Bayesian approach to conduct parameter estimation and
hypothesis testing for a novel statistical model.
8. Conduct systematic reviews of the literature in biostatistics or bioinformatics.
a. Differentiate relevant from irrelevant sources of data
b. In-depth understand the peer reviewed literature and differentiate and compare the model
assumptions for the similar models
c. Summarize findings from scientific studies
9. Report research results through scientific publication, presentation and teaching.
a. Write papers for peer reviewed publications following the scientific community style and ethic
standard
b. Provide peer review following the scientific community guidelines and ethical standard.
c. Present research findings at scientific meetings
d. Prepare and deliver lectures concerning research results in academic settings
10. Demonstrate ability to communicate analytical models and the results from statistical inferences
to biostatisticians as well as researchers of other disciplines of public health or medicine.
a. Write reports/papers connecting public health, biomedical, or bioinformatics phenomena and the
statistical models
b. Write reports/papers depicting the statistical model and presenting the properties resulting from
statistical inferences.
c. Communicate effectively, in verbal and written mode, the statistical model and results.
11. Contribute to the development of skills in students and colleagues through teaching, mentoring
and teamwork.
a. Participate in teaching activities by preparing and delivering at least one class session
b. Work with other students and research team members to enhance individual and team work
12. Develop a research proposal.
a. Develop research questions and specific aims for a proposal
b. Develop and write research methods for a proposal
c. Work with the advisory committee to coordinate proposal development