Chair in Medical Statistics
- About
-
- Email Address
- a.j.lee@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 437111
- Office Address
Institute of Applied Health Sciences, Room 1.005 Polwarth Building, Foresterhill
- School/Department
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
Biography
Following graduation with an MSc Medical Statistics from Newcastle University in 1987, I worked as a research statistician in the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, University of Dundee between 1987-1993. After successful award of my PhD, I moved to the Wolfson Unit for Peripheral Vascular Diseases, University of Edinburgh and worked as a senior research fellow for 9 years.
In 2003, I joined the Univeristy of Aberdeen as medical statistician for the Department of Primary Care. I was made Reader in 2004 and attained Professor in 2006. I held the post of Deputy Director of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) between 2011-2018 and was then appointed Director of the IAHS between 2018-2023. In 2024, I took on role as IAHS EDI Lead.
Memberships and Affiliations
- Internal Memberships
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- EDI Lead for the Institute of Applied Health Sciences (2024-)
- Director of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences (2018-2023)
- Deputy Director of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences (2011-2018)
- Non Ex Officio member of University Senate (2015-2023)
- Member of Joint Consultative Committee Redundancy Avoidance (JCCRA) Policy Review Working Group (2018-)
- Member of the University On-line Education Steering Group (2017-2022)
- Member of University Workload Review Group (2019-2023)
- Member of University Values & Culture Working Group (2018-2019)
- Member of University Space Enhanced Teaching Working Group (2018-9)
- Chair of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences Athena SWAN SAT (2015-2021)
- Chair of the Institute of Applied Health Science Postgraduate Education Group (2014-2019)
- Member of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences Staff Development Group (2011-)
- Chair of the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition Staff Development Group (2016-2022)
- Member of Sciences Promotions Sub-Committee (2019)
- Member of the College of Life Sciences & Medicine Promotions sub-committee (2017)
- Chair of Institute of Applied Health Sciences Staff Development Group (2011-2016)
- Deputy Head of Section of Population Health, College of Life Sciences and Medicine (2009-2011)
- External Memberships
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- Panel member of Ireland Health Research Board Secondary Data Analysis Review Board (2019-)
- Panel member of NIHR Clinical doctoral fellowship Programme (2018-)
- Panel member of NIHR Policy Research Programme (2017)
- Statistician for the CSO Health Services and Population Health Research Committee (HSRPP) (2010-2018)
- Statistician for the Asthma UK grant committee (2008-2010)
- External examiner for MSc Applied Health Statistics, University of Dundee (2011-2012; programme then withdrawn)
- Role model for the Aurora, the Leadership Foundation development initiative for women (2016-)
- Statistical Editor for the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice (2012-)
- Editorial board member for the Pragmatic and Observational Research on-line Journal (2009-)
- Data monitoring committee statistician for ‘Detection in blood of autoantibodies to tumour antigens as a case-finding method in lung cancer using the EarlyCDT-Lung test’ (2012-2019)
- Member of the Programme Steering Committee of ISCOMAT: Improving the safety and continuity of medicines management at care transitions (2016-)
- Chair of the steering group for ‘Safety Assessment of Marketed Medicines (SAMM) for Ciclesonide’ (2005-2008)
- Data monitoring committee member for the ‘Randomised controlled trial comparing foam sclerotherapy, alone or in combination with endovenous laser therapy, with conventional surgery as a treatment for varicose veins’ (2002-2003)
- Data monitoring and ethics committee member for the MRC-funded USABLE (ulcer surgery as adjuvant to bandaging with 4-layers - evaluation) Trial (2002-2004)
- Steering committee member for the ECoSSE study (a multicentred RCT on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of selective single embryo transfer) (2004-2006)
- Steering committee member for a MRC programme grant on inflammation, glucocorticoids and microvascular disease in the aetiology of cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes (2002-2006)
Latest Publications
The impact of disability on recruitment to higher surgical specialty training: A retrospective cohort study
The SurgeonContributions to Journals: ArticlesComparison of prehospital and in-hospital HEART scores in patients with possible myocardial infarction
Academic emergency medicineContributions to Journals: Letters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14930
Bisoprolol in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease at High Risk of Exacerbation: The BICS Randomized Clinical Trial
JAMA, vol. 332, no. 6, pp. 462-470Contributions to Journals: ArticlesCould paramedics use the HEART Pathway to identify patients at low-risk of myocardial infarction in the prehospital setting?
American Heart Journal, vol. 271, pp. 182-187Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2024.02.018
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Short- and Long-Term Impact of Prior Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations on Healthcare Resource Utilization and Related Costs: An Observational Study (SHERLOCK)
COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 92-100Contributions to Journals: Articles
- Research
-
Research Overview
Applied Medical Statistics
Epidemiology of Vascular Diseases
Research Areas
Applied Health Sciences
Research Specialisms
- Health Sciences
- Medical Statistics
- Epidemiology
Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Supervision
Successful PhD students
Ms Alyson Kettles – ‘Nursing models, theories and care planning’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded March 2005.
Ms Ionna Tzoulaki – ‘Subclinical markers in the aetiology of cardiovascular disease’ University of Edinburgh, successfully awarded March 2007.
Ms Nicola Gray – ‘Assessing the psychosocial impact on women of a low-grade abnormal cervical smear result and its subsequent management’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded March 2008.
Dr Mike Thomas – ‘Relationship between dysfunctional breathing and asthma’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded July 2010.
Dr. Atika Al Khazraji – ‘A study of common skin disease occurring in children in the United Arab Emirates’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded July 2010.
Ms Paraskevi Tsiamalou Broti – ‘Students' and educators’ perceptions about the nursing assessment in Higher Education in Greece’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded Feb 2011.
Ms Naiyana Metha – ‘Social support and health related quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded Dec 2012.
Ms Breda Anthony – ‘Ways to improve acceptability for anxious women who come to out patient colposcopy clinics for treatment of cervical intro-epithelial neoplasia.’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded June 2013.
Dr Angus MacLeod – ‘Identification of prognostic factors and development of prognostic models in Parkinsons disease using long-term data from a large, incidence based cohort. University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded June 2016.
Ms Christiane Pflanz-Sinclair – ‘Managing Change: What is the Best Model for Implementing Substance Misuse Screening Services in Primary Care in the United Arab Emirates/Middle East?’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded June 2019.
Dr Duncan Scrimgeour – ‘Does the MRCS predict surgical training outcomes and the FRCS?’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded June 2019.
Dr Ricky Ellis – ‘Predicting success at the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgery (MRCS) examination’ University of Aberdeen, successfully awarded June 2022.
Successful MRes student
Ms Tobi Afariogun (MSc Health Services & Public Health Research) – ‘The provision of public health services in a community pharmacy setting: Exploring pharmacy undergraduate students’ opinions in the UK and Thailand’ University of Aberdeen, sucessfully awarded September 2008.
Funding and Grants
In 2024, I currently hold, or have held, 84 research grants with a total combined income of over £12 million.
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
- Member of the IAHS Postgraduate Education Group (2013-)
- Originator and Programme Co-ordinator of PgCert Research Methods for Health (63B990VZ) on-line course (2014-)
- Lecturer and marker on the Applied Statistics (PU5522) postgraduate on-line course (2014-)
- Lecturer on the Fundamentals of Research Design (PU5027) postgraduate on-line course (2014-)
- Lecturer on the Epidemiology (PU5538) postgraduate on-line course (2014-)
- Originator and lecturer on several staff CPD courses including ‘SPSS for Beginners’, ‘Intermediate SPSS’, ‘Introductory Medical Statistics’ and ‘Intermediate Medical Statistics’ (2011-)
- Originator and lecturer on 3 day generic postgraduate basic statistics course for the University Graduate School (2008-)
- Lecturer for GP Registrars (NHS Education) (2010-)
- Lecturer on the MBChB Phase II 3M course (2013-2015)
- Lecturer on the BSc Health Sciences 2nd year HE2501 ‘Elementary Statistics for Health Research’ course (2008-2010)
- Lecturer on the MSc/Pg Dip/Pg Cert in Nursing/Midwifery/Health Care ‘Research Methods’ course (2006-2012)
- Lecturer on the MSc/Pg Dip/Pg Cert in Nursing/Midwifery/Health ‘Using Evidence in Practice’ course (2006-2012)
- Lecturer on the Foundation Year academic medics course (2008-2010)
- Co organiser and co-lecturer for an ‘Introductory Statistics’ course forming part of the University of Edinburgh Transferable Skills Programme for postgraduate students (1998-2005).
- Co-organiser and co-lecturer for an ‘Introductory Medical Statistics’ course aimed at academic researchers working in the University of Edinburgh and the Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust (1998-2006).
Non-course Teaching Responsibilities
Personal tutor (2018-)
- Publications
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Page 1 of 5 Results 1 to 50 of 246
The impact of disability on recruitment to higher surgical specialty training: A retrospective cohort study
The SurgeonContributions to Journals: ArticlesComparison of prehospital and in-hospital HEART scores in patients with possible myocardial infarction
Academic emergency medicineContributions to Journals: Letters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14930
Bisoprolol in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease at High Risk of Exacerbation: The BICS Randomized Clinical Trial
JAMA, vol. 332, no. 6, pp. 462-470Contributions to Journals: ArticlesCould paramedics use the HEART Pathway to identify patients at low-risk of myocardial infarction in the prehospital setting?
American Heart Journal, vol. 271, pp. 182-187Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2024.02.018
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Short- and Long-Term Impact of Prior Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations on Healthcare Resource Utilization and Related Costs: An Observational Study (SHERLOCK)
COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 92-100Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEstablishing the predictive validity of the intercollegiate membership of the Royal Colleges of surgeons written examination: MRCS Part A
The Surgeon, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 323-330Contributions to Journals: Review articlesExamining the diversity of MRCS examiners
The Surgeon, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 273-277Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEstablishing the predictive validity of the intercollegiate membership of the Royal Colleges of surgeons written examination: MRCS part B
The Surgeon, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 278-284Contributions to Journals: ArticlesPerformance of a prehospital HEART score in patients with possible myocardial infarction: a prospective evaluation
Emergency Medicine Journal, vol. 40, no. 7, pp. 474-481Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2022-213003
Polysubstance Use in Adults With Opioid Use Disorder Receiving Buprenorphine Maintenance
Journal of addiction medicine, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 74-78Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000001039
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Lower buprenorphine elimination rate constant is associated with lower opioid use
Psychopharmacology, vol. 239, no. 10, pp. 3213-3221Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe Achieving Self-directed Integrated Cancer Aftercare Intervention for Detection of Recurrent and Second Primary Melanoma in Survivors of Melanoma: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
JMIR cancer, vol. 8, no. 3, e37539Contributions to Journals: ArticlesA cross-sectional study examining the association between MRCS performance and surgeons receiving sanctions against their medical registration
The Surgeon, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 211-215Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2021.04.003
Cycling injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention during the first COVID-19 lockdown period: A multi-centre SCottish Orthopaedic Research collaborativE (SCORE) study
The Surgeon, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 252-257Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2021.05.003
O009 Differential attainment at the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (MRCS) examination according to gender, ethnicity, age and socioeconomic factors
2022 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Surgical Research Society, znac242.009Contributions to Journals: AbstractsPerformance at medical school selection correlates with success in Part A of the intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination
Postgraduate Medical Journal, vol. 98, no. 1161, e19Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-139748
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Differential attainment at MRCS according to gender, ethnicity, age and socioeconomic factors: A retrospective cohort study
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, vol. 75, no. 7, pp. 257-272Contributions to Journals: ArticlesUse of the oral beta blocker bisoprolol to reduce the rate of exacerbation in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a randomised controlled trial. (BICS)
Trials, vol. 23, no. 1, 307Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe impact of disability on performance in a high-stakes postgraduate surgical examination: a retrospective cohort study
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, vol. 115, no. 2, pp. 58–68Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe impact of family engagement in opioid assisted treatment: Results from a randomised controlled trial
International Journal of Social Psychiatry, vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 166-170Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020979026
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Does performance at the intercollegiate Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (MRCS) examination vary according to UK medical school and course type? A retrospective cohort study
BMJ Open, vol. 12, no. 1, e054616Contributions to Journals: ArticlesA cross-sectional study examining MRCS performance by core surgical training location
Medical Teacher, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 388-393Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe long-term clinical impact of COPD exacerbations: a 3-year observational study (SHERLOCK)
Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease, vol. 16, 17534666211070139Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEffectiveness of incentivised adherence and abstinence monitoring in buprenorphine maintenance: a pragmatic, randomised controlled trial
Addiction, vol. 116, no. 9, pp. 2398-2408Contributions to Journals: ArticlesExploratory economic evaluation of buprenorphine treatment in opioid use disorder
Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 89-95Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDoes performance at medical school predict success at the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination?: A retrospective cohort study
BMJ Open, vol. 11, no. 8, e046615Contributions to Journals: ArticlesBehavioral intervention to increase skin examination following melanoma: Development and evaluation
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 28, no. SUPPL 1, pp. S126-S126Contributions to Journals: Abstracts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-021-09997-7
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
The Ambulance Cardiac Chest Pain Evaluation in Scotland Study (ACCESS): A Prospective Cohort Study
Annals of Emergency Medicine, vol. 77, no. 6, pp. 575-588Contributions to Journals: Articles191 Performance at Medical School and Foundation Programme Selection Can Predict Success in The MRCS Examination
British Journal of Surgery, vol. 108, no. Supplement_2, znab135.006Contributions to Journals: Abstracts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znab135.006
220 Choice of UK Medical School Predicts Success in The Intercollegiate Membership of The Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) Examination
British Journal of Surgery, vol. 108, no. Supplement_2, znab134.538Contributions to Journals: Abstracts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znab134.538
Cancer prevention through weight control: where are we in 2020?
British Journal of Cancer, vol. 124, no. 6, pp. 1049-1056Contributions to Journals: ArticlesPeak inspiratory flow measured at different inhaler resistances in patients with asthma
The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 890-896Contributions to Journals: ArticlesLONG-TERM IMPACT OF PRIOR CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE EXACERBATIONS ON HEALTHCARE RESOURCE UTILISATION (HCRU) AND RELATED COSTS: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY (SHERLOCK)
Value in Health, vol. 23, no. S2, pp. S717-S717Contributions to Journals: Abstracts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2020.08.1889
Use of proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists and risk of gastric cancer in two population-based studies
British Journal of Cancer, vol. 123, pp. 307-315Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe Help for Hay Fever community pharmacy-based pilot randomised controlled trial for intermittent allergic rhinitis
npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, vol. 30, pp. 23Contributions to Journals: ArticlesStatin use and risk of liver cancer: Evidence from two population-based studies
International Journal of Cancer, vol. 146, no. 5, pp. 1250-1260Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.32426
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/14433/1/Statins_and_risk_of_liver_cancer_R1.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Mendeley
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
The role of 5α‐reductase inhibitors in gastro‐oesophageal cancer risk: A nested case‐control study
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 48-56Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.4909
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/15355/1/Busby_et_al_5ar_go_05_08_19_AAM.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Prediction of success at UK Specialty Board Examinations using the mandatory postgraduate UK surgical examination
BJS Open, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 865-871Contributions to Journals: ArticlesLow-dose oral theophylline combined with inhaled corticosteroids for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and high risk of exacerbations: a RCT
Health technology assessment (Winchester, England), vol. 23, no. 37, pp. 1-146Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.3310/hta23370
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/12765/1/HTA_23_37_23370_VOR.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Achieving Self-Directed Integrated Cancer Aftercare (ASICA) in melanoma: Protocol for a randomised patient-focused pilot trial of delivering the ASICA intervention as a means to earlier detection of recurrent and second primary melanoma
Trials, vol. 20, 318Contributions to Journals: ArticlesPredicting the chances of having a baby with or without treatment at different time points in couples with unexplained subfertility
Human Reproduction, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 1126-1138Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe effects of human factor related issues on assessors during the recruitment process for general and vascular surgery in the UK
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, vol. 101, no. 4, pp. 231-234Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6432962/
- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1308/rcsann.2019.0008
- [ONLINE] View publication in Mendeley
Does the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination predict 'on-the-job' performance during UK higher specialty surgical training?
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, vol. 100, no. 8, pp. 669-675Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1308/rcsann.2018.0153
Do surgeon interviewers have human factor-related issues during the long day UK National Trauma and Orthopaedic specialty recruitment process?
The Surgeon, vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 292-296Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2018.01.006
Effect of Theophylline as Adjunct to Inhaled Corticosteroids on Exacerbations in Patients With COPD: A Randomized Clinical Trial
JAMA, vol. 320, no. 15, pp. 1548-1559Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.14432
- [ONLINE] Deposit in PMC
Public risk perception of non-prescription medicines and information disclosure during consultations: a suitable target for intervention?
International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 423-432Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDo changing medical admissions practices in the UK impact on who is admitted?: An interrupted time series analysis
BMJ Open, vol. 8, no. 10, 023274Contributions to Journals: ArticlesFactors predicting success in the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination: a summary for OMFS
British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, vol. 56, no. 7, pp. 567-570Contributions to Journals: Editorials- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2018.04.008
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
An improvement in the method used to assess discriminatory ability when predicting the chances of a live birth after one or more complete cycles of in vitro fertilisation
BMJ, vol. 362, k3598Contributions to Journals: Letters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k3598
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/11069/1/McLernon_BMJ_letter_2018.pdf
Impact of rurality on processes and outcomes in melanoma care: results from a whole-Scotland melanoma cohort in primary and secondary care
The British Journal of General Practice, vol. 68, no. 673, pp. 566-575Contributions to Journals: Articles