Statistics for Pathologists: A Comprehensive Guide

By Danny A. Milner Jr. MD, Emily E. K. Meserve MD MPH, T. Rinda Soong MD PhD MPH, and Douglas A. Mata MD MPH

Statistics for Pathologists is a valuable resource that provides a clear, accessible review of the use of statistics in pathology studies. This practical guide spans topics such as exploratory data analysis and descriptive statistics, comparative statistics, concordance analysis, categorical and continuous data regression analyses, count data, survival analyses, decision point and clustering analysis, and more. The authors demystify all the statistical knowledge paramount to working in the field, highlighting common errors and pitfalls that occur when performing tests and interpreting data, and suggesting how to avoid mistakes.

Each chapter is uniformly structured for ease of use and concludes with review questions to facilitate self-assessment of the reader’s skill in using statistical methods. This guide teaches trainees, junior investigators, and seasoned pathologists how to look at their data from the point of view of a statistician and determine what tests should be done, how the data and test should be presented, and how to use the tests practically.

Learning statistical applications can greatly enhance and simplify the skills necessary to review and present data accurately. This basic understanding of statistics is critical in pathology-related work. Key features include:

• Clear, concise overviews of every relevant statistical test with application in pathology-related research
• Real published studies to provide examples of use of the tests and interpretation of data
• Emphasis on how to avoid common errors and pitfalls when conducting tests and interpreting data
• Self-assessment review questions and answers in each chapter
• Downloadable datasets for the reader so that they can perform statistical analysis tied to the book with popular stats programs

Statistics for Pathologists is an essential guide for anyone working in the field of pathology. It provides comprehensive information on statistical methods and their practical applications, making it a valuable resource for both beginners and experienced professionals.