Developing a Biostatistical Collaboration Course in a Health Science Research Methodology Program

Thabane, Lehana; Walter, Stephen D.; Hanna, Steven; Goldsmith, Charles H.; Pullenayegum, Eleanor

doi:10.1080/10691898.2008.11889564

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…For example, during our teaching process, we have shared our suggestions about how to construct an efficient mentor–mentee relationship with junior researchers, 39 how to develop a health collaboration course, 40 how to promote teaching, 41 and how to help build up students’ or mentees’ capacity and skills in health research. 42 Similarly, we have published some studies focusing on the challenges, lessons, and suggestions during our research practice or collaborations with other researchers.…”

Section: Strategies For Enhancing Research Publication Contents (Ie mentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing research publications and advancing scientific writing in health research collaborations: sharing lessons learnt from the trenches

Li¹,

Jin²,

Mbuagbaw³

et al. 2018

JMDH

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BackgroundDisseminating research protocols, processes, methods or findings via peer-reviewed publications has substantive merits and benefits to various stakeholders.PurposeIn this article, we share strategies to enhance research publication contents (ie, what to write about) and to facilitate scientific writing (ie, how to write) in health research collaborations.MethodsEmpirical experience sharing.ResultsTo enhance research publication contents, we encourage identifying appropriate opportunities for publications, publishing protocols ahead of results papers, seeking publications related to methodological issues, considering justified secondary analyses, and sharing academic process or experience. To advance writing, we suggest setting up scientific writing as a goal, seeking an appropriate mentorship, making full use of scientific meetings and presentations, taking some necessary formal training in areas such as effective communication and time and stress management, and embracing the iterative process of writing.ConclusionAll the strategies we share are dependent upon each other; and they advocate gradual academic accomplishments through study and training in a “success-breeds-success” way. It is expected that the foregoing shared strategies in this paper, together with other previous guidance articles, can assist one with enhancing research publications, and eventually one’s academic success in health research collaborations.

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Section: Strategies For Enhancing Research Publication Contents (Ie mentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing research publications and advancing scientific writing in health research collaborations: sharing lessons learnt from the trenches

Li¹,

Jin²,

Mbuagbaw³

et al. 2018

JMDH

Self Cite

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“…We adopted the existing successful module at McMaster University in the Program [5]. The Module includes three guiding core principles: (1) embracing experiential learning, (2) using a multidisciplinary approach in collaborations, and (3) identifying a formal mentor (including "mentorship-beyond-borders") (Fig.…”

Section: Guiding Core Principlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, biostatisticians or methodologists themselves might come from a diversity of educational and cultural backgrounds [3]. Moreover, while it has been recognized that both shortterm (i.e., consultation) and long-term (i.e., collaboration) statistical and methodological activities require sophisticated non-statistical skills [4], unfortunately, the skills needed are not usually taught in biostatistics or clinical trials postgraduate programs [5,6]. All these aspects can impact the efficiency and effectiveness of communication between biostatisticians or clinical trial methodologists and other clinical researchers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To enhance the capacity building of both statistical and soft skills, Stellenbosch University introduced a 12credit Biostatistical Consulting and Collaboration Module (subsequently called "the Module") as part of the Program running in the second year from January to November. It was offered in 2018 in collaboration with a senior biostatistician who had vast experience in developing and teaching similar courses at McMaster University [5] and an in-house module facilitator with 15-year experience in biostatistical consulting and collaborating in Sub-Saharan African university environments. In this article, we briefly introduce the outline of the Module and show some preliminary findings from the Module starting in 2018.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Advancing collaborations in health research and clinical trials in Sub-Saharan Africa: development and implementation of a biostatistical collaboration module in the Masters in Biostatistics Program at Stellenbosch University

Esterhuizen

Young

et al. 2021

Trials

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Background Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry a high burden of communicable diseases such as TB and HIV and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions. Although investment in research has led to advances in improvements in outcomes, a lot still remains to be done to build research capacity in health. Like many other regions in the world, Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from a critical shortage of biostatisticians and clinical trial methodologists. Methods Funded through a Fogarty Global Health Training Program grant, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University in South Africa established a new Masters Program in Biostatistics which was launched in January 2017. In this paper, we describe the development of a biostatistical and clinical trials collaboration Module, adapted from a similar course offered in the Health Research Methodology program at McMaster University. Discussion Guided by three core principles (experiential learning; multi-/inter-disciplinary approach; and formal mentorship), the Module aims to advance biostatistical collaboration skills of the trainees by facilitating learning in how to systematically apply fundamental statistical and trial methodological knowledge in practice while strengthening some soft skills which are necessary for effective collaborations with other healthcare researchers to solve health problems. We also share some preliminary findings from the first four cohorts that took the Module in January–November 2018 to 2021. We expect that this Module can provide an example of how to improve biostatistical and clinical trial collaborations and accelerate research capacity building in low-resource settings. Funding source Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health.

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“…Thabane et al34 documented their experience in developing a biostatistical collaboration course aimed at graduate students in the health research methodology PhD program (biostatistics specialization) at the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University, Canada. The course uses a combination of lectures and tutorials led by faculty members, videotaped consulting practice sessions, and an internship component, with mentoring of each student by an experienced faculty biostatistician.…”

Section: Mentoring In Practice: Suggestions For Reformmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mentoring in biostatistics: some suggestions for reform

Odueyungbo

Thabane²

2012

JMDH

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Mentoring is routinely used as a tool to facilitate acquisition of skills by new professionals in fields like medicine, nursing, surgery, and business. While mentoring has been proposed as an effective strategy for knowledge and skills transfer in biostatistics and related fields, there is still much to be done to facilitate adoption by stakeholders, including academia and employers of biostatisticians. This is especially troubling given that biostatisticians play a key role in the success or otherwise of clinical research conducted for evidence-based decisions. In this paper, we offer suggestions on how mentoring can be applied in practice to advance the statistical training of future biostatisticians. In particular, we propose steps that academic statistics departments, professional statistical societies, and statistics organizations can take to advance the mentoring of young biostatisticians. Our suggestions also cover what mentors and mentees can do to facilitate a successful mentoring relationship.

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Developing a Biostatistical Collaboration Course in a Health Science Research Methodology Program

Cited by 10 publications

References 13 publications

Enhancing research publications and advancing scientific writing in health research collaborations: sharing lessons learnt from the trenches

Enhancing research publications and advancing scientific writing in health research collaborations: sharing lessons learnt from the trenches

Advancing collaborations in health research and clinical trials in Sub-Saharan Africa: development and implementation of a biostatistical collaboration module in the Masters in Biostatistics Program at Stellenbosch University

Mentoring in biostatistics: some suggestions for reform

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