Faculty Statistical Support

Statistical Support for Faculty of Health Sciences Researchers Services includes:

• Assisting with the design of health-related research
• Power and sample size calculations
• Advising research staff and postgraduate students on statistical aspects of research programs
• Providing advice about cleaning and maintaining datasets and preparing data for analysis
• Providing advice about data analysis and manuscript preparation
• Undertaking analysis of data as part of research projects and programs

Obtaining ongoing financial support for the service is essential for its long-term sustainability. During the preparation of research funding applications by staff, there will be no charge for services. However, we ask that staff seek financial support for their statistical needs in their applications. Subsequent statistical support will need to utilize this source of funds.

Postgraduate students will be provided with a limited number of hours of consulting services 'free of charge'. However, where extensive services are required, it may be necessary to charge the student's supervisors at a 'cost-recovery' rate. Supervisors should clarify with the statistical services the extent of assistance that should be offered to their student from two perspectives: (i) the financial resources available for the student should the services exceed reasonable levels, and (ii) the supervisor's expectation of the relative contributions that their student and the statistician should make to the thesis. Supervisors are encouraged to attend the first meeting of the statistical service and their student.

The Statistics Service is provided from two sources:

• North Terrace Campus, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Women's and Children's Hospital
  Professor Philip Ryan at the Data Management & Analysis Centre (DMAC), Discipline of Public Health, provides support for Faculty staff and students located at North Terrace campus, the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Women's and Children's Hospital.

  To be eligible for free statistical support, a client must be either a member of staff, or an affiliate staff member, of the Faculty of Health Sciences, or a PhD, MD or Masters by research student currently enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences. The statistical work must be directly related to either (i) a paper for publication where at least one author gives the University of Adelaide as their institutional affiliation, (ii) a research grant administered through the University of Adelaide, or (iii) research undertaken for a postgraduate student's thesis.
  The services are provided by Dr Nancy Briggs (nancy.briggs@adelaide.edu.au) and Thomas Sullivan (thomas.sullivan@adelaide.edu.au). They are located in the Statistics Division of DMAC, Room 6-4a, Level 6, Bice Building, RAH. Please phone: 8303 6540 or 8303 3565 to make an appointment to see them.
  To better support Faculty staff and postgraduate students located at the Women's and Children's Hospital, Nancy Briggs will be in the Public Health Research Unit, 77 King William Rd. (3rd level) every Thursday (phone: 8161 7787). However, it is best to contact her through email (nancy.briggs@adelaide.edu.au).

• The Queen Elizabeth Hospital:
  Dr John Field provides statistical support service for TQEH staff and students. John is usually located at TQEH on Wednesdays (Ground Floor Sessional Office, Basil Hetzel Institute) and can be contacted there on 8222 8818.  At other times, to make an appointment contact John on 0409 097586 or, preferably, by email to john.field@adelaide.edu.au.

Faculty staff and students located at the Modbury Hospital and Lyell McEwin Health Service may contact either of the two branches of the service for assistance.

After completion of the consultation and/or statistical work on their project, users of the Statistical Service are encouraged to fill out the Feedback Form and return it to the Faculty Research Secretariat. The forms are available from the Service statisticians and from the Faculty Research Secretariat.