Statistics for Oncology
A course for Scottish trainees
5th–8th January 2026
National Education for Scotland (NES), 177 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, G2 7ER
This comprehensive four-day course provides essential statistical knowledge for Clinical Oncology and Medical Oncology specialty trainees.
Designed to meet the requirements of the FRCR Part 1 examination and the Specialty Certificate Examination (SCE) in Medical Oncology, basic skills in data analysis and interpretation are also introduced.
Course Content
The course centres on interactive lectures covering core statistical topics, with all concepts explained from first principles using clinically relevant examples from oncology practice.
Core topics include:
- Data types and presentation
- Statistical sampling and inference
- Hypothesis testing
- Survival analysis
- Screening tests
- Epidemiological study designs
- Clinical trial methodology
- Critical appraisal of published research
- Practical exam question practice
Optional practical sessions are available for those interested in developing data analysis skills. These cover R programming for statistical analysis, data management principles. Interactive self-paced tutorials are also available for participants wishing to work through guided exercises independently.
Schedule Overview
Daily structure:
- Morning sessions: 9:30am–12:30pm (includes coffee break)
- Lunch break: 12:30–1:30pm (not provided)
- Afternoon sessions: 1:30–4:30pm (includes coffee break)
Each day begins with guided self-study where you can work through material with instructor support available.
Practical Information
What to bring:
- Laptop (optional, only required if participating in the R programming sessions)
Prerequisites:
No prior knowledge of statistics or programming is required.
Venue details:
NES is located 10 minutes walk from Central and Anderston stations, 15 minutes from Queen Street station/subway and Buchanan Bus Station. Nearest car parks: Q-Park Waterloo Street and Cadogan Square.
Lunch arrangements:
Tea and coffee provided throughout. Lunch is not included; we recommend Launch Coffee (2 minute walk) or Paninis Sandwich Bar (3 minute walk), along with many other local options.
Pre-Course Preparation
A reading list is available here. While not mandatory, reviewing these materials before the course will help you get the most from the sessions.
Contact
Course content queries: Ask on Github
Logistics queries: nes.scottishoncology@nhs.scot
A collaboration between Edinburgh Cancer Informatics Group at the University of Edinburgh and NHS Education for Scotland
