Tortoise and Hare Timed Trial

For the Aesop-Fable-Doubters: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7NuVjpi72c

Best YouTube pick of the night...  Connie

Mike LaMantia on the radio

Vermont Edition on Vermont Public Radio (VPR) featured Michael LaMantia, MD, Associate Professor  of Medicine this week, discussing "What Does 'Aging Well' Look Like In Vermont?"  The full story by Emily Alfin Johnson & Bob Kinzel is available at here.

Nicely done, Mike!


- Ben Littenberg

Clinical Research Oriented Workshop (CROW) Meeting: November 15, 2017

Present:   Levi Bonnell, Justine Dee, Nancy Gell, Kairn Kelley, Ben Littenberg, Gail Rose, Connie van Eeghen

Start Up: NYT Article on When the Revolution Came for Amy Cuddy (2017) and the reality of using P values

1.                   P-Curve: A Key to the File Drawer, Simonsohn, 2014

a.       A P value has 3 parts: n, variance, effect size

b.       If effect is 0, then p will vary from about 0 to almost 1, evenly distributed, across all possible values of p

c.       If effect is strong, then p will vary in a right skewed curve across all possible values of p

d.       Remember: the p value is not about the hypothesis, it is about the data underlying the hypothesis.  It tells you if the data are convincing but it does not tell you if the hypothesis is convincing.

2.                   What are the assumptions that allow us to use a p value

a.       The assumptions of the test selected for analysis were met

b.       Representative selection of subjects

c.       Independent results

d.       Focused on the hypothesis

e.       Methods were conducted with integrity

f.        Asks one question, and one question only

                                                   i.      Alternatively, avoid the garden of forking paths to get one through the garden to a gate you like

                                                 ii.      i.e. do not explore the data before testing the data

3.                   Will Bayesian statistics fix this?

a.       Not necessarily.  It may help, in getting rid of the confidence interval process. It does not test how good the hypothesis is.

b.       What it does: given what I know before the study, and what I learned from the study, here’s the next estimate of the interval around the correct answer to the hypothesis about the effect of interest.

4.                   Next Workshop Meeting(s): Wednesdays, 11:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m., at Given Courtyard South Level 4.

a.       Nov 22: cancelled

b.       Nov 29: Kairn Kelley – application for Pathways Mentorship Program

c.       Dec 6: Field trip to Research Tapas on “Research and Reproducibility”

d.       Future topics:

a.       Juvena: protocol development

b.       LaMantia: predictors of successful R01 applications: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0155060

Recorder: Connie van Eeghen

Forms Matter - Learning - Source: An OpenNews project

https://source.opennews.org/articles/forms-matter/

A nice introduction to the issues around forms design.

Job opening at University of Southern Maine

CTS alumna Sarah Bryce sends this announcement:

The Maine Rural Health Research Center and Graduate Program in Public Health in the Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine invite applications for a full-time, Assistant or Associate Research Professor starting immediately. This position supports the health research programs of the Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy, including a large portfolio of rural health research projects funded by federal, foundation, and other external sources. The successful applicant will play a leadership role in leading applied research on topics relevant to rural health and contributing to the Center’s research program-building activities. The position includes future opportunities for teaching in the School’s growing public health program.

In addition to the CEPH accredited Master of Public Health degree program (75 students/7 faculty), the Muskie School offers the Masters of Policy, Planning and Management and undergraduate degrees in Geography and Anthropology and Tourism and Hospitality. The Cutler Institute has a broad portfolio of local, state and nationally-funded research, evaluation, and technical assistance programs and projects spanning population health and health policy, disability and aging, child and family policy, justice policy, environmental policy, and business and economics research. The Institute has 120 faculty and staff and over $18M in external federal, state, and foundation support. 

The University of Southern Maine (USM) is Maine’s Metropolitan University. USM offers Baccalaureate, Master's, and Doctoral programs, providing students with rich learning and community engagement opportunities in the arts, humanities, politics, health sciences, business, mass communications, science, engineering, and technology. Further information on USM can be found at www.usm.maine.edu.   

USM’s three environmentally friendly campuses are energized through strong community partnerships. Offering easy access to Boston, plus the ocean, mountains and forests of coastal, inland and northern Maine, USM is at the heart of Maine's most exciting metropolitan region.

Qualifications: Required: A doctorate in public health, health economics, health services research, public policy, or related field with a strong health services research emphasis. Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills with experience analyzing administrative and/or complex survey data. Interest in policy and practice-relevant research. Preferred: A record of self-supporting research funding. Content expertise in research topics that will complement and/or expand the Maine Rural Health Research Center’s current portfolio. Experience and/or interest in rural health services research. Documented experience in communicating research findings to diverse audiences. Evidence of commitment to diversity, student success and active learning, and community engagement. 

Salary and rank will be commensurate with experience.

How to apply: Applications require completion of an on-line profile, a cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae, a list of the names and contact information for three references, and a statement of teaching and research interest. Applicants may apply online at: http://usm.maine.edu/hrs/job-opportunities.

Review of applications will begin December 8, 2017 and continue until position is filled.

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- Ben Littenberg