Become A Biostatistician

When you marry science and numbers, amazing things can happen. This explains the appeal of biostatistics, a field which appears to be gaining in popularity. Because of the aging of the population, the practice of using statistics to study disease has taken on added significance.

A biostatistician develops studies which assist doctors in treating patients and help scientists to come up with new medications. Therefore, the work of a biostatistician can be critical in the fight against disease. As a result, working in this field can be intellectually stimulating, research topics in biostatistics emotionally gratifying, and even financially rewarding, since salaries in the field can be in the $100,000 range.

As a biostatistician, you’ll be studying rates of disease and how well medicines perform. You can also explore how diet and exercise can prevent serious diseases such as cancer. In this way, you’ll be assisting people in living better, healthier lives.

Of course, given the fact that biostatistics is a specialized field, you’ll need extensive coursework in statistics and mathematics. You’ll also have to possess the writing skills needed to compose surveys and communicate the results. It is also important for you to have extensive knowledge of biology and how the body works. As a result, you’ll need to obtain a graduate degree after finishing your coursework for your bachelor’s degree.

In addition to undergoing extensive training, you’ll also need to possess certain skills in order to work effectively as a biostatistician. These include an eye for detail, the ability to analyze complicated data, and a great deal of self-discipline.

As a biostatistician, you can work for agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health. As an alternative, you could work for a drug company or private research institute.