As a WMed investigator you play a critical role in advancing our institution’s mission by contributing to the advancement of bioscience knowledge and evidence-based practice. In support, WMed provides “free and unlimited” biostatistical and data management support to help the achievement of research goals. This is an extraordinarily valuable resource not available at most other institutions.
As resources are not truly unlimited, we have established a standardized process for requesting our services. This process was developed with input from multiple WMed investigators so needs can be met as efficiently as possible.
In our experience, certain principal investigator (PI) behaviors are often associated with project success. Accordingly, we have created the following guidance:
PI Expectations (What we’ll do for you)
- Consultation for Project Design: The DASU (biostatisticians and data managers) will consult with you while you are developing your scientific questions on the type and feasibility of the data and statistical analyses expected to produce the most rigorous results.
- Statistical Analysis and Data Management Plan Development: We will help draft the statistical analysis plan (SAP) and the data management plan (DMP) of your written protocol that describes data to be collected and statistical testing to be performed.
- Grant Sample Size Determination and Project Design: The biostatisticians will help you write the SAP for your grant applications including performing sample size estimation and the proposed biostatistical methods for analysis, as outlined in your application.
- Data Collection and REDCap Development: The data management team will assist with the design of secure storage for your research data in a manner that is congruent with all federal, state, and WMed regulations, e.g., using REDCap and the WMed Virtual Data Warehouse.
- Statistical Analysis: The biostatisticians will help you with the analysis outlined in your protocol and with the write-up of your presentation or publication.
- Responsiveness: We will be as responsive to your publication, grant, and other deadlines as is feasibly possible.
PI Responsibilities (What we need you do to for us)
- Submit Your Project in the Project Request & Triage Form: Complete the triage form to meet with a biostatistician or member of the data management team to discuss your project.
- Attend All Scheduled Project Consultation Meetings: After submission of the triage form, a meeting will be scheduled. PI engagement at the meeting(s) is critical to ensure your study team and the DASU team are always in sync.
- Be Proactive About Managing Your Team: Be responsive to queries from the DASU. A delayed response to questions slows down your project and other projects waiting for help.
- Set Clearly Defined Protocol Objectives: Work with the DASU to design your protocol with clearly defined statistical outcomes. Your project needs to have a written protocol with a carefully thought out plan.
- Do Not Expect the Unit to Provide Services Others Can Perform for You: Due to time constraints the team may send statistical output to your team for formatting in tables and figures.
- Realize That You (the PI) Are Ultimately Responsible for the Conduct of Your Research Team: Continuously monitor your study team’s work to ensure everyone is following the protocol. Getting off track unnecessarily wastes valuable research resources.
- Limit Requests for Re-Analysis: Research is a process and you may need addition unanticipated re-analyses after visualizing your initial results or at the request of a journal reviewer. However, repeatedly asking for additional analyses that turn your project into a long, meandering exploration of your data, makes it difficult for the DASU to manage multiple projects’ priorities. If you find you are asking for multiple, re-analyses, we request that you start a new project with new, defined outcomes by completing a new triage form.
- Speak Up If You Are Frustrated: We try hard to meet and exceed our investigators’ expectations. If we fall short, please let us know with suggestions for how to improve what we do. You can contact the Manager of Data Advancement Services or the Chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics with your concerns at any time.