Accelerating resident research within quantitative collaboration units in academic healthcare

With increased access to biomedical and electronic health records data and the complexity of research questions, individuals in residency programs who aim to conduct research require specialized educational programs and biostatistics support. Biostatistics collaboration units in academic health centers often work with residents to conduct data-intensive research. These units face numerous challenges related to providing training in statistical literacy and collaborating on resident-led research within very restricted timelines. Since 2019, the Duke Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) Methods Core has supported over 247 resident-led projects by developing tools and resources to address these challenges. This manuscript presents novel processes and training materials that other institutions can use to help biostatistics collaboration units effectively support resident training programs. We provide a framework to support the development of collaborative teams, along with specialized training materials for residents who collaborate with these teams.