Disease Detectives B/C

[cemsc10]

Anybody have some long advice list for nationals? I'm preparing right now and want to do well!

Congrats on making it! I think the overall advice I'd give you is to take several pratice tests, and not to rely on your cheat sheet, as sometimes you need to know things off your head and do not have time to check the sheet. Make sure you cover all the topics that are stated on the disease rules, and I recommend checking out textbooks and taking notes, it really helps! Good luck!

[cemsc10]

Sorry for double posting, but I have a question. When it comes to division C Disease Detectives, I know statistics are required. Is it an understanding of the statistics that is usually required, or is it being able to actually apply them to problems, and solve? Thanks!

[dcrxcode]

Sorry for double posting, but I have a question. When it comes to division C Disease Detectives, I know statistics are required. Is it an understanding of the statistics that is usually required, or is it being able to actually apply them to problems, and solve? Thanks!

I'd definitely say both. I've seen questions that ask you to find standard deviation, IQR, 95% confidence intervals, z scores, etc, but I've also seen questions that ask if something is a Type I or Type II error and/or ask for interpretations of confidence intervals and p values. On the Cy-Falls test for this season, there was a really good question using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test that I found unique and interesting.

[yang573]

Sorry for double posting, but I have a question. When it comes to division C Disease Detectives, I know statistics are required. Is it an understanding of the statistics that is usually required, or is it being able to actually apply them to problems, and solve? Thanks!

I'd definitely say both. I've seen questions that ask you to find standard deviation, IQR, 95% confidence intervals, z scores, etc, but I've also seen questions that ask if something is a Type I or Type II error and/or ask for interpretations of confidence intervals and p values. On the Cy-Falls test for this season, there was a really good question using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test that I found unique and interesting.

Adding to that, I feel like for some of the more involved statistical tests (eg. t-score, chi-squared), we just have to know their applications as opposed to calculating such values. Although, you should know calculations for CMH, age adjustment, and the like. These values are a bit more straightforward to calculate, and they're more directly related to epidemiology.

[cemsc10]

Sorry for double posting, but I have a question. When it comes to division C Disease Detectives, I know statistics are required. Is it an understanding of the statistics that is usually required, or is it being able to actually apply them to problems, and solve? Thanks!

I'd definitely say both. I've seen questions that ask you to find standard deviation, IQR, 95% confidence intervals, z scores, etc, but I've also seen questions that ask if something is a Type I or Type II error and/or ask for interpretations of confidence intervals and p values. On the Cy-Falls test for this season, there was a really good question using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test that I found unique and interesting.

Adding to that, I feel like for some of the more involved statistical tests (eg. t-score, chi-squared), we just have to know their applications as opposed to calculating such values. Although, you should know calculations for CMH, age adjustment, and the like. These values are a bit more straightforward to calculate, and they're more directly related to epidemiology.

Thanks!

[GrayEpi]

Do not rely on your cheat sheet. You will pay in time lost for using it. After you've finished - a cheat sheet might be useful in checking things you are unsure of but that is about it.

As for stats - it is more important to be able to use, interpret and understand them than to calculate them. Computers do the calculating but people have to know what the results mean.

[GrayEpi]

monumentai -

Tough to be put into something you're not prepared for at the last minute but it sounds like you did your best and certainly came out of the experience with a great attitude. How one responds to adversity says a lot about character and you can be proud. Good luck in the future.