One-on-one consultation on protocol development and statistics analysis in health sciences postgraduate students

According to publications in the UK and USA there is a lack or limitation in the knowledge of research methodology, statistics, and critical appraisal skills of medical literature evaluation among registrars and clinicians. As a consequence, utilisation of biostatistical consultation services became necessary and is provided in the most prestigious academic hospitals and medical schools of the world. In South Africa (SA) as a result of rules changes by the Health Professional Council of SA (HPCSA) to become a specialist, a compulsory qualification in research was added. Therefore courses in research methodology, applied statistics and scientific writing were implemented since 2007 at the University of the Witwatersrand and from 2009 biostatistical consultations were conducted.