Training of statisticians and clinical researchers worldwide to collaborate as co-investigators within country clinical epidemiology units: the experience of the international clinical epidemiology network (INCLEN)

Abstract

Clinical researchers rely on biostatisticians in order to design, conduct and analyse observational and experimental studies involving populations of subjects. In many countries, trained biostatisticians are not readily available. There are many possible approaches to this problem, including educating the medical or health professional to be a researcher with an understanding of statistical methodologies, as well as training statisticians to be biostatisticians with an understanding of clinical considerations. The International Clinical Epidemiology Network (INCLEN) embarked on such an endeavour by creating clinical epidemiology units that included both approaches, trained clinical epidemiologists as well as biostatisticians. The specific statistical training needs of both types of students are described.

A hands-on, interactive method of teaching statistics to agricultural researchers

“…That is, the researcher has a basic understanding of the statistical methods being used, and I have a basic understanding of the research area and the objectives of the research. This point is also made by Bangdiwala (2001).…”

Important considerations for optimal communication between statisticians and medical researchers in consulting, teaching and collaborative research, with a focus on the analysis of ordered categorical data

“…My experience of the research courses in practical statistics for study groups, including the supervisors, is that the group members gained confidence in statistics and developed a higher level of awareness concerning the choice of statistical methods appropriate to the measurement level of the outcome measurements ( Svensson, 1998c). The teaching model of the International Clinical Epidemiology Network (INCLEN), as experienced by Bangdiwala (2001), provides training of applied medical researchers in statistics and statisticians in clinical epidemiology methods, but could be applied to health related research problems as well. Bishop and Talbot (2001) propose an approach to training applied researchers in statistical thinking with attention to the entire research process.…”

Learning from experience

“…On occasion the statistician might have to overcome negative attitudes towards statistics and the role of the statistician such as the attitude that only those with the appropriate professional qualifications can be a medical doctor or social worker or whatever, but anyone who can add up or click on a mouse can analyse data (see Cox, 1981, andBangdiwala, 2001). Both researchers and statistical consultants might find the paper by Brook (1994) useful preparation for consultancy sessions.…”