Lost in Translation: Effective Statistical Communication in Translational Science

• Activity Number: 435
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences
• Author(s): Catherine Starnes*+ and Daniel L Starnes and Heather M. Bush
• Companies: University of Kentucky and University of Kentucky and University of Kentucky
• Keywords: statistical consulting ; translational science ; team science ; effective communication

Abstract

In teaching and consulting in the health sciences, effective communication continues to be one of the greatest challenges since statisticians and scientists speak different "languages". Translational and team science introduce an additional layer of "language" complexity as it involves interactions with several research partners who are experts in their fields, fields that vary from music to public health to rehabilitation science to medicine to biochemistry - often within the same research team. Effective teaching and consulting in translational and team science environments requires statisticians to learn a new "research language." We will describe experiences with investigators from different research perspectives, describe how communication often depends on this perspective, and propose strategies for enhancing research relationships by using the same "language".