Evaluation of statistics teaching given to medical undergraduates.

Medical undergraduates in all United Kingdom medical schools receive statistics teaching, but attempts to establish the efficacy of this teaching have been scanty. Establishment of clear educational objectives is a prerequisite to meaningful evaluation. Most medical schools have attempted to obtain feedback from their students by administering questionnaires. Examination performance can provide very pertinent information if a finely detailed marking scheme is developed, identifying issues that are generally poorly grasped. Controlled trials may be carried out within an institution but encounter problems of contamination and low power. It should eventually be possible to develop multi-institutional evaluation methods.