Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Advanced Laboratory in Statistical Design and Analysis

Course Description

CHL5208H is a required half-credit course in the DLSPH Biostatistics PhD program. It prepares students to contribute effectively as collaborative statisticians, interdisciplinary researchers, and statistical leaders. The course complements students’ technical training by developing the professional capabilities required to translate statistical expertise into meaningful scientific contributions.

The course has two integrated components. Weekly two-hour sessions introduce professional frameworks through short presentations, cases, demonstrations, structured discussion, role-play, and peer feedback. In the capstone, each student engages in a data-analysis project with guidance from a faculty member and deliberately applies the capabilities developed in class. The capstone is therefore both a technical project and a structured setting for developing and applying professional practice skills.

Course Objectives

At the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Manage a collaborative biostatistical project by clarifying the scientific question, defining scope and responsibilities, establishing milestones, documenting decisions and responding appropriately to changes or risks.
2. Communicate statistical reasoning effectively in written, oral and visual forms, adapting the content and level of technical detail to the audience and clearly explaining assumptions, uncertainty, limitations, and implications.
3. Contribute effectively to interdisciplinary collaboration by eliciting stakeholder needs, integrating scientific and statistical perspectives, giving and receiving constructive feedback, and supporting shared decision-making.
4. Apply critical thinking and professional judgment to identify important methodological and practical issues, evaluate alternatives and justify a recommended course of action.
5. Recognize and respond to ethical challenges in statistical practice by applying relevant professional principles, considering affected stakeholders and explaining the rationale for a proposed response.
6. Use appropriate strategies for negotiation and conflict management to address disagreements about scope, timelines, responsibilities, methods or interpretation while maintaining productive professional relationships.
7. Reflect on professional development and formulate an actionable career plan that identifies strengths, areas for growth, goals, and strategies for mentorship and professional networking.