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Mentoring in biostatistics: some suggestions for reform
Authors Odueyungbo, Thabane L
Received 10 July 2012
Accepted for publication 11 September 2012
Published 15 October 2012 Volume 2012:5 Pages 265—272
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S35792
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 4
Adefowope Odueyungbo,1 Lehana Thabane2
1Department of Biostatistics, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, 2Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, and Biostatistics Unit, Father Sean O'Sullivan Research Centre/Centre for Evaluation of Medicines, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, ON, Canada
Abstract: 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.
Keywords: mentoring, biostatistics, career development
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