Simulating Data for Clinical Research: A Tutorial

Simulation studies use computer-generated data to examine questions of interest that have traditionally been used to study properties of statistics and estimating algorithms. With the recent advent of powerful processing capabilities in affordable computers along with readily usable software, it is now feasible to use a simulation study to aid in clinical decision making. By simulating large quantities of data that mimic clinical situations, it is possible to understand the ramifications of different decisions better than using tangentially relevant data or intuition. In this tutorial article, I describe the general steps in conducting a simulation study with particular emphasis on clinical decision making. I conclude with a didactic example taken from clinical literature on identifying a specific learning disability.