Biostatistics Degrees:
Missing Data and Other Issues
Keith Crank, AsA research and Graduate education manager
s
ince coming to work for the ASA, I have
spent much of my time tracking down data Graduate Training in Biostatistics
on the statistics (including biostatistics) disci-
pline. Some of this data comes from our own sur-
NIH recently held an open meeting of
veys, some from joint surveys we do with the
the director with representatives from
American Mathematical Society, and some from
professional societies as a first step in
government agencies.
creating a dialogue about how NIH can
For degrees in statistics, my primary source is the
better address concerns of the members
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
of those societies. I believe many of you
(IPEDS), which is maintained by the National
would like to see an increase in the number
Center for Education Statistics (NCES). I thought
of graduate traineeship awards going to
this contained exactly the kind of data I wanted
biostatistics. This was the issue I raised
until a few months ago.
during the question-and-answer period.
In August, as I was preparing to send a list of
PhD-granting departments to U.S. News & World
About a week later, I received an email
Report, I found they only wanted those departments
pointing to a biostatistics traineeship program
that had awarded at least one PhD in each of the
at the National Institute for General medical
past five years. Although I sent an email to each of
sciences (NIGms). This program was initially
the department chairs asking for this information,
a separate competition for biostatistics, but
the short time frame on my request meant some
has since been folded into the broader ruth L.
did not have time to respond. I did not believe this
Kirschstein National research service Award
would be a problem, as I had access to the IPEDS
(NrsA) Institutional research Training Grants
data, which provided information about degrees by
(T32). unfortunately, there are still links to
discipline and institution.
the biostatistics program announcement,
However, when I compared the IPEDS data to
which has expired, making it appear there
the responses I received from the biostatistics chairs,
is no longer interest in training awards for
I discovered it didn’t match well. (On the statistics
biostatistics. I’ve been informed, however, that
side, there didn’t seem to be a problem.) Of the
they do want biostatistics applications.
24 biostatistics departments that graduated at least
the program manager for biostatistics
one PhD in each of the last five years, eight would
is shawn Drew, who can be reached
have been rejected based on the IPEDS data. (By
at
DrewL@nigms.nih.gov and (301)
that, I mean the institutions of these eight depart-
594-3900. The next deadline
ments reported no biostatistics PhDs for some
or all of those years.) Although I can understand
is January 25, 2010.
minor discrepancies—because of memory bias and
time frame (calendar year versus academic year)—I
was surprised to find a problem with one-third of person may only be considering pub-
the departments. lic health categories for degrees award-
Unfortunately, identifying that a problem exists ed by the school of public health. (Other
is not the same as solving a problem (or even know- explanations also are possible.)
ing the cause of it). Let’s begin with the cause of the For those of you at academic institutions, do
problem. It could be an issue with the IPEDS survey you know who provides the data for the IPEDS
form. Biostatistics degrees are included under biology, Completions survey? Do you know how the data for
not medicine and public health. (There is a code for your department are entered? Please contact me if you
health and medical biostatistics, but it may no longer can help me resolve this problem.
be of use, as there are no data for this code after 2002.) On a related note, what should I be doing with
The cause of the problem could be at the institutional biometry/biometrics degrees? Should they be counted
level. Degrees from a school of public health should as statistics degrees?
be coded under a public health category, and there is To contact me, send an email to
keith@amstat.org.
no such category for biostatistics. Or, it could be an Questions or comments about this article, as well as
issue with the person completing the survey. That suggestions for future articles, are always welcome. n
NOVEMBER 2009 AmstAt News 19
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