Careers in Biostatistics What are the occupations?

Darwin Poritz, Ph.D. „ Statistical Programmer Statistician, Engineering and Science Contract Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 „ Usually has a Master’s in statistics or biostatistics [email protected] „ Writes analysis code in SAS, R, or S-Plus „ Biostatistician B.A. (Physics, Wesleyan Univ., CT), M.Math. and Ph.D. (Statistics, Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario) „ Master’s or Ph.D. (preferred) in statistics or biostatistics

Dr. Poritz, a practicing statistician in an industrial setting „ Requires good oral and written English (aerospace), has also worked as a biostatistician planning and analyzing clinical studies for pharmaceuticals and medical „ Writes statistical plans for conduct and analysis of devices. He is willing to advise SU students about statistics designed experiments and human studies and biostatistics fields. „ Analyzes data and writes final statistical reports

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What is statistics? What is statistics?

„ The goal of statistics is to draw general conclusions Statistical methods are used

from a limited number of uncertain observations „ to design experiments, surveys, and observational „ The mathematics of probability is used to model the studies

uncertainty of the observations. „ to analyze data from controlled experiments and „ Statistics is an inferential science, not a branch of from uncontrolled observations

mathematics, although statistics is highly „ Most sciences consider well-drawn statistical mathematical because it uses probability inferences to be the gold standard of scientific „ Hence, Sir Ronald A. Fisher, one of statistics’ evidence founders, entitled a major work Statistical Methods and Scientific Inference

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What is biostatistics? Why is statistics required?

„ Biostatistics is the science of statistics applied to „ All national and multinational regulatory authorities, biology, medicine, surgery, clinical psychology, such as the US Food and Drug Administration or the pharmaceuticals, and medical devices European Medicines Agency, require

„ Biostatisticians work with clinical scientists to design „ statistically valid study protocols before human clinical trials for new pharmaceuticals, medical studies begin

devices, or medical procedures, that is, experimental „ statistically valid scientific evidence of efficacy and studies with humans safety of new medicines or devices before market „ Biostatisticians often have had courses or other approval is granted educational background in anatomy, physiology, oncology, or pharmacology

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1 Tasks and skills Tasks and skills

„ The biostatistician working for a study sponsor, say, „ The biostatistician interviews clinical scientists in a pharmaceutical company, is like an attorney depth in order to determine the correct statement of

„ The biostatistician works within the laws of a clinical study’s objectives mathematics, statistics, and professional ethics to „ The biostatistician needs to exercise excellent present the best possible view for study protocols interpersonal, logical, verbal, and written skills

and data submitted to regulatory authorities „ The biostatistician observes strict confidentiality with „ Nevertheless, the biostatistician must keep his clinical data not only outside the sponsoring independence and integrity, often requiring organization but also within it, since this information considerable diplomatic skills, when confronted with often has enormous financial value inappropriate organizational pressures

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Education Education

„ Statistics is largely a graduate field of study „ Undergraduate statistical study includes

„ Undergraduate mathematical study includes „ Introductory mathematical probability and statistics

„ differential and integral calculus „ Undergraduate science includes

„ linear algebra, including spectral theory and Jordan forms „ Biology

„ systems of ordinary differential equations „ Chemistry

„ first and second order partial differential equations „ Graduate or undergraduate study includes „ differential forms and multivariable integration „ SAS, R, or S-Plus programming „ abstract algebra of finite fields „ Regression analysis „ numerical analysis „ Introductory experimental design and analysis „ linear and nonlinear optimization „ Human anatomy and physiology

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Education More information

„ Graduate study includes „ Professional societies:

„ Theories of statistical ƒ Sample survey design and „ American Statistical Association, www.amstat.org inference analysis „ International Biometric Society, www.enar.org and „ Applied stochastic processes ƒ Advanced experimental www.wnar.org „ Multivariable normal theory design and analysis „ Exploratory data analysis „ Clinical trials: International Conference on ƒ Oncology and „ Time series analysis pharmacology Harmonisation of Technical Requirements of „ Survival distributions and ƒ Actuarial mathematics Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, www.ich.org statistics ƒ Advanced numerical „ Analysis of categorical and analysis „ Job search: www.medzilla.com ordinal data ƒ Advanced linear and nonlinear

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