Now you’ve taken the self-screening tool, compare your own answers with our answers. If you don’t have an exact match, consider how your answers differ from those given, and the reasons for any differences. If the reason for any difference is not immediately obvious, you might consider using the suggested resources (or any others you can find) to help you understand how best to address the questions and to fully understand the concepts involved.
- Answer key and suggested resources for MPhil PHS self-screening
- Answer key and suggested resources for HDS self-screening
Post-test feedback for MPhil PHS self-screening
After working through the self-screening tool, and reviewing your understanding where necessary, please think about how you found it. You will want to produce a written reflection (up to 250 words) to include in your application that shows you have really thought about your understanding of the concepts included in this self-screening tool. When you write this, please remember that we are far less interested in what you got right or wrong than in how you used the experience to learn. Which areas are you more/less confident in? Do you need more training to support your understanding of these types of questions? If so, what have you done to achieve this?
If you got all the questions right the first time, and found this very easy, you will want to look at the Health Data Science (HDS) screening tool, and may want to opt for the HDS core statistics module in term 1.
If you struggled with any of the more challenging questions (5, 10, 12 – 15), but were able to understand them after some review, then you are at the right level to confidently take this course. Please do reflect on this in your application, and be ready to discuss the underlying concepts if you are offered an interview.
If you struggled with the more straightforward questions (1 – 4, 7, 8, 11), but were able to understand them after some review, then as long as you are willing to put in the necessary additional effort amidst a busy schedule, you may still be a good candidate for the course. You need to become comfortable with the concepts related to questions 3, 4, 6 – 11, 14, and 15 for the core Principles of Biostatistics module taken in the first term of the course. Please do reflect on this in your application, ensure you take steps to consolidate your understanding, and be ready to discuss the underlying concepts if you are offered an interview.
If you got all of the questions wrong, and still don’t understand why after reviewing relevant resources, then this is probably not the course for you.
Post-test feedback for HDS self-screening
If you have a strong interest in studying population health sciences but find many of the HDS self-screening questions difficult (i.e. if you need to refer to many of the solutions even after further study) you may wish to consider applying to a theme with a less stringent mathematical requirement than the Health Data Science theme. All the other themes provide appropriate quantitative training relevant to population health sciences and include modules in biostatistics.