Clinical Epidemiology: A New Discipline for an Old Art
Authors: ROBERT H. FLETCHER
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1983)

Editorials1 September 1983Clinical Epidemiology: A New Discipline for an Old ArtROBERT H. FLETCHER, M.D., SUZANNE W. FLETCHER, M.D.ROBERT H. FLETCHER, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, SUZANNE W. FLETCHER, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-99-3-401 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptPhysicians face age-old clinical questions when they care for patients: Which diagnostic tests most accurately and efficiently reflect the presence or absence of disease? What characteristics of patients and their environment are associated with an increased risk of disease? What will the clinical course be, and which findings allow a prediction of the course? What preventive maneuvers delay the onset of disease, and what therapies can control or reverse the disease?For several decades, medical research and teaching have emphasized understanding the causes of disease at and below the cellular level, often through the use of laboratory studies. The results...References1. FEINSTEINHORWITZ AR. Double standards, scientific methods, and epidemiologic research. N Engl M Med. 1982;307:1611-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. FREIMANCHALMERSSMITHKUEBLER JTHR. The importance of beta, the type II error and sample size in the design and interpretation of the randomized control trial: survey of 71 "negative" trials. N Engl J Med. 1978;299:690-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. FLETCHERFLETCHER RS. Clinical research in general medical journals. N Engl J Med. 1979;301:180-3. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. AAMC Curriculum Directory: 1982-83. Washington, D.C.: Association of American Medical Colleges; 1982. Google Scholar5. BERWICKFINEBERGWEINSTEIN DHM. 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RIEGELMAN R. Studying a Study and Testing a Test. Boston: Little, Brown and Company; 1981. Google Scholar20. GEHLBACH S. Interpreting the Medical Literature. Lexington, Massachusetts: D.C. Health; 1982. Google Scholar21. FLETCHERFLETCHERWAGNER RSE. Clinical Epidemiology: The Essentials. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins; 1982. Google Scholar22. SACKETT D, ed. Clinical Epidemiology: A Basic Science For Clinical Medicine. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. (In press). Google Scholar23. SACKETT D, ed. Clinical Research Methods. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. (In press). Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByUnidades de investigación y docencia de apoyo a la gestión en atención primariaTMO: The Trial Management Organization—A New System for Reducing the Time for Clinical TrialsClinical Science and Clinical Expertise: Changing Boundaries between Art and Science in MedicineEpidemiologic Concerns of Urban Family PracticeIs the Establishment Defensible? 1 September 1983Volume 99, Issue 3Page: 401-403KeywordsClinical epidemiologyResearch laboratories Issue Published: 1 September 1983 PDF DownloadLoading ...