Recommendations for Biostatisticians in Managing and Conducting Medical Research Consultations

One of the determining factors for a successful research output is the design of the research itself. Thus, a researcher, a methodologist or an epidemiologist and a biostatistician may each have his/her own perspective of how to optimise the design of research, by playing an active role in both planning and conducting the research. Therefore, this e-book emphasizes the importance of the role of a biostatistician in managing and conducting research consultations mainly for research that revolves around the medical field. Successful biostatistics consultation requires a collection of technical and collaborative skills. The full spectrum of biostatistical consulting skills are rarely taught in training programs. However, by acquiring all the relevant skills for biostatistical consultation, one can continue to hone such skills by learning and gaining relevant experience throughout one's career. The discussion is divided into five sections: Essential consulting skills for biostatisticians; Begins with an initial evaluation of the research proposal; Techniques to improve subject matter knowledge during consultation process; Tips to provide a better consulting service for a consultation session; and Tips to enhance research consultation skills. The discussion is useful for both beginners and also for current professionals aiming to enhance their research consultation skills.

Dr. Mohamad Adam Bujang is a Research Officer at the Institute for Clinical Research (ICR), Ministry of Health, Malaysia. Having received his Bachelor's degree in Statistics from MARA University of Technology in 2004, Dr. Mohamad Adam undertook his postgraduate study, receiving his Master's degree (MBA) in 2008, and then at the same university, receiving his PhD (Information Technology and Quantitative Sciences) in 2017. Currently he is working as a biostatistician and researcher in the Clinical Research Centre, Sarawak General Hospital. His ongoing research interests involve the research methodology such as sampling techniques, sample size planning, and statistical analyses. He has completed many research projects with local and international publications. He is actively involved in research training, reviewer for number of journals and also one of the active members in Malaysia Institute of Statistics (ISM) and Association of Clinical Registries Malaysia (ACRM).

Contact details Dr Mohamad Adam Bujang Research Officer, Clinical Research Centre, Sarawak General Hospital Email address: adam@crc.gov.my Tel: 082-276820 & Fax: 082-276823

Research contributions https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wfdvW4UAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohamad_Adam_Bujang