Biostatistics
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General Course Objectives:
There is no doubt that Biostatistics is the discipline which is a necessary part of education in every biological and medical (both human and veterinary) science. Its importance results from principle of obtaining, analysing, presentation and interpretation of data in medical sciences. The conception of much knowledge and experience in medicine was be burdened by many errors and mistakes without statistics. We would not be able to interpret properly gained knowledge and experience in the area of medicine without use of statistical methods. From this point of view, the biostatistics is among basic subjects of veterinary medicine education. Contens of the discipline predominantly consists of statistical methods for description of data sets and testing of hypotheses for quantitative and qualitative data with specialization on data and hypotheses used in the area of veterinary medicine.
Biostatistics has a practical impact first of all in the area of research and development in medical sciences. It is also important in the area of clinical veterinary practice and the sphere of hygiene and ecology during the animal provenance food inspection. Statistics education is particularly focused on the ability to solve specific problems of veterinary medicine with the use of biostatistical methods. Furthermore, it is focused on practical skills at some common and also special PC software that are helpful for statistical calculations and tasks.
Biostatistics is the basic discipline, therefore other disciplines draw on this discipline. Disciplines that are based on this subject are especially disciplines that are connected with laboratory activities, i.e. most disciplines in the sphere of veterinary hygiene. Disciplines that are less dependent on statistics are for example disciplines based on field work or theoretical subjects. This is why this discipline has an important position at the beginning of veterinary medicine studies.
Biostatistics lessons are in the first semester. The extent is 1 hour of lectures and 2 hours of practical work a week. Lectures are particularly focused on statistical problems, practical work involve both questions regarding statistics and questions regarding informatics and computer skills. Due to the span of the discipline and often insuficient level of knowledge among secondary school graduates in this sphere, the additional forms of education includes individual consultations as well.