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  Medical Statistics - MSc


University of Leicester    Health Sciences

Full time & Part time September MSc 1 year full time, 2-3 years part time Award winner
Mathematics (25)

FindAMasters summary

Are you passionate about using statistical methods to solve real-life problems in medicine and healthcare? Then our MSc in Medical Statistics is the perfect programme for you. Designed to equip you with the skills needed to become a practising medical statistician, this postgraduate degree focuses on understanding and applying statistical theory to real-life circumstances. You'll have the opportunity to develop your analysis skills using popular statistical software and work on mini-projects, analysing real medical data sets. With the option to specialize in Genetic Epidemiology, Health Technology Assessment, or Further Topics in Medical Statistics, this programme offers excellent prospects for a successful career in the field.

About the course

The course is designed for students who want to focus on the application of statistical methods to real-life problems in medicine and healthcare. The modules, delivery methods, and assessments shown are subject to change due to the ongoing impact of the global pandemic. The course will cover all relevant theory but with an emphasis on understanding, applying and adapting it to real-life circumstances. Students will develop their analysis skills on real medical data sets, using statistical software such as Stata, R, SAS, and WinBUGS.

This is for you if... you want a vocational course that will focus on the application of statistical methods to real-life problems in medicine and healthcare, giving you excellent prospects in securing a career or further study.

Read more about this course

Entry Requirements

The course is intended mainly for students with a good honours degree of which mathematics/statistics is the main subject, and with a working knowledge of basic probability and statistics. However, applicants with other suitable backgrounds will be considered by the course team.




 Course Content

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Student Profiles

S Hinchliffe

What did you study before coming on the MSc at Leicester?
I studied for a BSc in Mathematics at Loughborough University.

What was your impression of the quality of the MSc?
The MSc is taught by active researchers meaning that every part of the course is relevant to current research.

What were the facilities like?
Every student had 24 hour access to a computer. Books and other resources were easy to source in either the department or the University library so any additional information that we needed was always in arms reach.

What was your experience of the summer project?
The summer project was a chance to take the lead on a piece of research and make it your own. It was very different from the taught weeks but gave us the opportunity to learn how to work as a researcher or PhD student would. I have since managed to write a research paper out of the work I did for my summer project and this has opened up further opportunities for me in the same research area.

What opportunities did the course open to you?
The MSc is a well established course that has been running for around 30 years. When I first read about this I didn't think much of it but since completing the course it has quickly become apparent to me that many of the statisticians currently working in medical research, not necessarily just in England but all over the world, have also completed this course and have used it as a stepping stone to launch their careers. After finishing the MSc I was successful in being awarded a grant for a three year PhD in Leicester. As part of the PhD I have the opportunity to attend courses and conferences where I can engage in conversation with people working in a similar area to me. By establishing a common link with other researchers that have either completed the course or have heard about it due to its respectability, I have been able to make several contacts working in medical research.

How would you advise someone thinking of applying for the MSc at Leicester?
Go in with an open mind. You might think you have clear aspirations about where you want to go next but the course offered me a different perspective and allowed me to re-evaluate what I wanted to do next.

S Freeman

What did you study before coming on the MSc at Leicester?
Previously I studied BSc Mathematics at Leicester.

What was your impression of the quality of the MSc and the facilities?

I thought the MSc was of very high quality. I felt that all of the teaching was done to a very high standard and the lecturers were all very knowledgeable, easy to approach and willing to answer questions. The course was very applied and the coursework provided opportunities for putting into practice the content learnt during the lectures.

The facilities were very good. We had 24 hour access to our own computer lab where there was a sufficient number of computers for the whole course to be working at the same time. We also had our own seminar room for lectures which was located in the same building as the computer lab and across the hallway from the staff offices.

What was your experience of the summer project?
Overall I really enjoyed my summer project. There was an extensive list of projects to choose from and in the end I chose a project that wasn’t even on the list. Initially I felt like 3 months was going to be a very long time to work on one project but once I got started time just seemed to fly by. I really enjoyed having the chance to focus on one project for an extended length of time. It gave me the opportunity to apply the methods I had already learnt on the course and the time to do further research into the area I was studying.

What opportunities did the course open to you?
The course opened lots of job and PhD opportunities. I applied for multiple jobs, mainly in universities and a PhD. I was offered interviews for everything I applied for and in the end I decided to take a job I was offered working for the Medical Research Council in London. I have been there for over a year now and really enjoy my job. Also following completion of my summer project I had the opportunity to have some of the work published.

How would you advise someone thinking of applying for the MSc at Leicester?
Anyone thinking of a career in Medical Statistics should definitely apply for the course.

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