Which statistics class should I take?

[Knickerbocker]

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It seems like I have a choice of three classes for most schools that I am interested in: one for math majors and two for everyone else. Of the two for non math majors, one is just called "principles of statistics" and has no lab. The other is biostatistics and has a lab.

Do you guys think that it would make a difference between the latter two courses?

 

[117296]

It seems like I have a choice of three classes for most schools that I am interested in: one for math majors and two for everyone else. Of the two for non math majors, one is just called "principles of statistics" and has no lab. The other is biostatistics and has a lab.

Do you guys think that it would make a difference between the latter two courses?

Probably not, but I would take the principles class... it's more generic. just make sure you have taken one somewhere along the way.

 

[cdpiano27]

I am in the biostatistics field as a PhD student. Take the class for math majors. The calculus based statistics is very easy, and the principles class will be boring without seeing the integration.

Take the more challenging class.

 

[Rxgrrl]

I'm just taking Psychological Statistics 😳

 

[ADN1226]

You're better off taking principles, schools dont require a lab for it - take the easy one and do well

 

[a504n]

I'm currently in my P1 year, and Biostatistics is part of our curriculum in Pharmacy school. If the Pharmacy school you plan on going to has Biostatistics as part of the curriculum, then I would take the Biostatistics so you can get credit for it in Pharmacy school or be more familar with it when you have to take it in Pharmacy school.

 

[Farmercyst]

I'm currently in my P1 year, and Biostatistics is part of our curriculum in Pharmacy school. If the Pharmacy school you plan on going to has Biostatistics as part of the curriculum, then I would take the Biostatistics so you can get credit for it in Pharmacy school or be more familar with it when you have to take it in Pharmacy school.

Biostats totally.

 

[T1ar1a]

Statitistics for the math majors places a heavy emphasis on intergral calculus and algebraic matrix systems. I would take the challenging class to understand the principals and mechanism for how statistics were created and what factors contributed to the creation of certain statistics we use today.

Of course your career will demand that you understand biostatistics, but what if you are using a statistical software and there are options for using different tests? What if you forget to check a box in the program and end up with a wrong t-value and get an incorrect p-value?

One of the problems with the easier biostatistic class is that it gives you the basic information, but never the how or why? You'll get that with the math major course and you will learn to appreciate it as you start to read the literature.

Never skimp out on a good education. If you find that you will lean towards a career in research, then take the math course. Also, I would recommend investing time into psychometric classes or qualitative analysis. Those are very useful in outcome research.

 

[IsoPod]

Double check the prereqs for the Biostatistics class. Usually, you must have taken a basic stats class before they let you take biostats.

 

[cdpiano27]

This is so funny. My whole PhD is centered aroudn Biostats and it goes very, very deep and into very difficult detail. I think that the coursework in the PhD is probably more intense than pharmacy school. But again I do not know, since I never went to pharm school.

You should understand statistics very well as a pharmacy student. We statisticians are always trying to get into the drug companies all the time.