

The Effective Statistician - in association with PSI
Alexander Schacht and Benjamin Piske, biometricians, statisticians and leaders in the pharma industry
The podcast from statisticians for statisticians to have a bigger impact at work. This podcast is set up in association with PSI - Promoting Statistical Insight. This podcast helps you to grow your leadership skills, learn about ongoing discussions in the scientific community, build you knowledge about the health sector and be more efficient at work. This podcast helps statisticians at all levels with and without management experience. It is targeted towards the health, but lots of topics will be important for the wider data scientists community.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 30, 2023 • 29min
Cross-Over Studies: When Do They Offer a Great Advantage?
This podcast discusses the advantages of crossover studies in scientific research. It covers topics like randomization, order effects, and carryover effects. The challenges of conducting studies with multiple treatments are also explored, along with a case study in the allergy field. The importance of controlled environmental chambers for allergen exposure is highlighted. Overall, the podcast emphasizes the significance of understanding crossover designs in research and the potential they hold for innovative discoveries.

Oct 23, 2023 • 39min
Do You Still Negotiate About Numbers of Tables?
Understanding negotiation in the context of table production costs, reducing and restructuring tables, active listening in negotiation, investing in leadership skills, a leadership training program, modular table production concept

Oct 16, 2023 • 38min
Risk Mitigation for Statisticians
Jess Thompson, an expert in risk management in clinical trials, discusses the importance of continuous risk assessment, collaborative risk identification, and the role of assumptions. She also emphasizes the need for collaboration and input from team members when assessing risks, as well as contingency planning and risk reporting for successful risk management.

Oct 9, 2023 • 34min
Ethical Guidelines for Statisticians - Why and What
Katharina Schueller, a statistics professional, discusses the importance of ethical discussions among statisticians and highlights the significance of transparent communication. They explore the ethical concerns in data algorithms and the responsibilities of statisticians in putting patients first in medical statistics. The conversation also touches on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning methods. Katharina encourages listeners to reflect on ethical aspects in their daily statistical practice and embrace the responsibilities of statisticians.

Oct 2, 2023 • 28min
Working in an Under-Resourced Environment and What to Do
Explore strategies for managing tasks, prioritizing work, and communicating challenges in an under-resourced work environment. Learn the importance of documentation, project estimations, and maintaining a strong professional network. Discover opportunities to improve statistical skills and bring value as a statistician.

Sep 25, 2023 • 22min
Moving from SAS to R - Practical Tips Part 3
Thomas Nietmann, an expert in transitioning from SAS to R in healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, discusses how to make the transition smoother. Topics include mathematical concepts, tools to aid the transition, and a tailored course for professionals in the field.

Sep 18, 2023 • 24min
Moving from SAS to R - Practical Tips Part 2
Thomas Nietmann, an expert in transitioning from SAS to R, provides essential tips for a smooth process. Topics discussed include installing R and R Studio, data exploration techniques, data manipulation packages, macros vs. functions, and the use of unit testing. Transitioning from SAS to R can be intimidating, but with the valuable advice in this episode, the process can become smooth and painless.

Sep 11, 2023 • 29min
Moving from SAS to R - Practical Tips Part 1
The hosts discuss transitioning from SAS to R, highlighting the growth and adoption of R in big pharma. They cover exploratory data analysis in R, differences in data manipulation between SAS and R, and introduce the Merrill R package for clinical trial data manipulation.

Sep 5, 2023 • 40min
The 15% Threshold in Germany and Why You Should Care
Understand the importance of the 15% threshold in the HTA system in Germany and its impact on drug reimbursement. Learn about Health Technology Assessment and its role in assessing drug efficacy. Discover how patient-reported outcomes are used to determine noticeable changes in drug benefit. Find out why statisticians should be involved early in study design to meet the 15% threshold. Gain insights on the significance of design and collaboration in statistics.

Aug 28, 2023 • 46min
What Young Statisticians and Likely Others Expect from Their Management
Experienced statisticians discuss building trust in teams, having a clear vision statement, understanding higher-level decision-making in the pharmaceutical industry, and the importance of collaboration, communication, and exposure for young statisticians.