Biostatistics Consulting Service

**Once a service request is submitted here in iLab, we will set up a virtual meeting to discuss your project.  Drop-in services are provided by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, or for general questions, please email BCS at consult@mcw.edu.

Requesting Services

Department of Surgery - Contact Kelly Birmingham (kebirmingham@mcw.edu) with the details of your request.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery - Contact Karen Gonzalez (kgonzalez@mcw.edu) with the details of your request.

Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - Submit a request through iLab or contact your department administrator for access to the "PMR Biostats (MCW) Lab".

Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine - Submit a request through iLab or contact Aniko Szabo (aszabo@mcw.edu) directly.

Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics - Submit a request through iLab or contact Lexi Visotcky (avisotcky@mcw.edu) and Ruta Brazauskas (ruta@mcw.edu) directly.

Froedtert Pharmacy - Needs to be placed under the “Froedtert Pharmacy (MCW EXT) Lab” using the email, pharmacyresearchcommittee@froedtert.com instead of your own email. The administrators for the Pharmacy Residency program will be able to give you the login and password for this account.

Department of Anesthesiology - Submit a request through iLab or contact Danielle Paul (dpaull@mcw.edu) if you want to request departmental support.

Cancer Center Members - Submit a request in iLab.

All other users submit a request in iLab.

*At this time, Medical Students are unable to submit requests in iLab.  If you are a student needing assistance, please contact your mentor or department administrator for assistance.

*Please note if the investigator is a student, resident or fellow, his/her faculty advisor must be present at the initial consultation session.

 

Overview of Services

The Biostatistics Consulting Service is part of the Division of Biostatistics within the Data Science Institute at the Medical College of Wisconsin and provides comprehensive statistical consulting to clients inside and outside MCW.

These consulting services include assistance with design and analysis of clinical trials, design and analysis of observational studies, design and analysis of surveys, assistance with public databases, sample size and power calculations, and data analysis and interpretation. Additionally, our faculty and staff have extensive experience in grant preparation of NIH, NSF, CTSI, Department of Education, HERSA, Healthier Wisconsin, and VA grants. We have also helped prepare proposals for a number of private research foundations.

Consulting is provided by Biostatistics faculty and staff. Staff consultants are supervised by a member of the faculty. Consulting services are offered for a standard fee and are provided on an appointment basis. After the initial consultation, a time estimate is provided.

Expected analysis timelines will be discussed at the initial consulting meeting, but most analyses will take three weeks after the initial meeting and receiving the data. Please submit your request with this in mind to reach your deadlines

Planning

  • Design: We can help you to choose an experimental design that will allow you to answer the research question most efficiently. Clinical trials, chart reviews, and surveys all need special considerations.
  • Sample size determination: Having too much or too little data is a waste of resources. We can help you plan how much data you need to collect so that your study can evaluate your hypothesis.
  • Grant proposal preparation: We can write the sections on the statistical analysis plan and sample size considerations.

 Data Collection

  • Randomization: We can develop and implement an appropriate randomization scheme.
  • Data management: We can advise you on database design, and even help you set it up.

Analysis

  • Statistical modeling and data analysis: We will help you choose the appropriate analysis methods, and carry them out if you wish.
  • Interpretation:  We can also help you interpret the results in the context of your research.

 Reporting

  • Reports: We can write a ready-to-publish description of the statistical methods used and prepare summary tables.
  • Plots: We can design and produce publication quality plots that communicate your message effectively. 

Drop-In Sessions Locations and Hours

Free statistical consultations are provided by staff biostatisticians throughout the month at the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center location. The Drop-In Service is a great way to get short statistical questions answered in just under a hour. Drop-In is free, try it today.  Contact consult@mcw.edu to schedule a virtual appointment.

The following Departments have integration contracts with the Biostatistical Consulting Service, which support study design and analysis services at no direct cost to the investigator. Integration Contracts

  • Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Department of Surgery
  • Hematology/Oncology Division of the Department of Medicine
  • Pediatric Emergency Division of the Department of Pediatrics
  • Froedtert Pharmacy

Leadership

Aniko Szabo, PhDAssociate Professor & Director of the Biostatistics Consulting Service

Paul Auer, PhDProfessor & Director of Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Resource

Links and Resources

Contacts

Name Role Phone Email Location
Consulting Service

 
414-955-8280
 
consult@mcw.edu
 
M1400