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Abstract:
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Though consulting with non-statistical researchers is an effective method for improving communication skills, those experiences can be difficult to arrange or occur too infrequently to be reliable. Simulated consultations through role-playing can be an effective educational tool for developing the soft skills necessary for successful statistical consultation, do not require reliance upon external collaborators, and can be a cost-effective alternative for programs that cannot provide formal consulting experiences. Presented here is an approach for embedding such role-playing consultations within an existing graduate biostatistics curriculum by having students conduct role-playing as part of their course work, while alternatives and potential contingencies are considered. Results from a pilot study indicate that participating students felt the activities helped improve their oral and written communication skills, made them more aware of a biostatistician's role in consulting, and helped them achieve modest improvement in the their perceived function as a consulting biostatistician.
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