Table 1.
Team science skills considered to be important to the work of collaborative biostatisticians
| Skill definitions and descriptions as used in the collaborative biostatistician survey | |
|---|---|
| Skill | Description |
| Databases, data sources, and data collection tools | Understand nuances of working with databases, data sources, and data collection tools, including their advantages/ limitations for answering clinical/scientific questions |
| Developing clinical/scientific domain knowledge | Learn about a biomedical domain as needed for a given project to critically assess and interpret scientific results |
| Regulatory requirements | Understand, implement, and explain relevant data security and regulatory requirements |
| Institutional structure | Navigate one’s institutional infrastructure, processes, and funding mechanisms |
| Statistical analysis plans | Write and critique statistical analysis plans with sufficient detail to ensure replicable fulfillment of study objectives |
| Reproducibility | Utilize a documentation process for project reproducibility including data storage, coding, analysis plans, reports, etc. so that the project can be reproduced by others |
| Coding | Write code to manage data and/or implement statistical methods using accurate and efficient coding practices |
| Literature review | Conduct review of literature and background information to identify gaps in scientific knowledge to motivate a given project |
| Learning new statistical methods | Learn and implement unfamiliar statistical methods needed for a given project |
| Professional correspondence | Correspond with collaborators promptly, appropriately, and clearly |
| Time/project management | Complete projects while planning for and managing multiple projects simultaneously |
| Effective meeting strategy | Facilitate effective discussions with clinical/scientific collaborators to achieve meeting goals and develop follow-up steps |
| Scientific communication | Effectively communicate scientific/statistical concepts with collaborators |
| Presenting results | Present results formally, both verbally and in writing, in a clear and non-technical manner |
| Using strong statistical voice | Advocate and negotiate for good and ethical statistical practices including integrating and resolving differing scientific approaches |
| Collaboration with analytic colleagues | Navigate a network of colleagues to identify additional methodological expertise and solicit guidance or collaboration as needed |
| Additional skills identified by respondents on the collaborative biostatistician survey | |
| Skill | Description |
| Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility | Incorporate diverse perspectives and ensure fair representation both in the research process and in the workplace |
| Professional development | Actively shape one’s career trajectory, including continuing education, setting boundaries, and avoiding burnout |
| Mentoring and supervision | Serve as a formal mentor to trainees, a supervisor to employees, or a peer mentor to colleagues with diverse training backgrounds |
The top section contains 16 skills used in the collaborative biostatistician survey. Skills were adapted from Pomann et al. [13], and descriptions of these skills were created for this study. The bottom section contains 3 skills that were not included in the collaborative biostatistician survey but were also identified as important in the collaborative biostatistics workforce.