Biostatistician
Field of Study — Public Health & Nutrition
Biostatisticians are experts in analyzing medical, scientific and public health data. Many are members of new drug development teams, comparing data on the side effects, success rate or other aspects of one drug (or drug combination) with that of another. Other biostatisticians are involved in environmental, medical or public health research. Depending on the work setting, biostatisticians may:
- design and implement studies to measure a treatment’s effectiveness.
- review public health information to identify patterns of disease, health-related environmental issues or health care cost trends.
- analyze research data for significance.
- develop conclusions and recommendations based on statistical information.
Biostatisticians are employed in a wide variety of professional partnerships, the pharmaceutical industry, health delivery services, environmental studies and universities, as well as state, federal and local health departments and agencies.
Educational Requirements
Students interested in becoming a biostatistician should have a strong interest and background in math and science, as well as English. While entry level biostatistics jobs are available to those who have completed a bachelor’s degree, more advanced positions require a master’s or doctoral degree.
Educational Institutions
Virginia Colleges and Universities
Virginia Commonwealth University
Professional Associations
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
1200 New York Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 326-6400
http://www.aaas.org - American Public Health Association
800 I St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 777-2742 (APHA)
http://www.apha.org - American Statistical Association
1429 Duke St.
Alexandria, VA 22314-3415
(703) 684-1221
http://www.amstat.org/careers