Canadian Model for Accrediting
Professional Statisticians
Judy-Anne Chapman
In March 2007, the board approved the formation of the ad hoc Committee on Accreditation of Individual Statisticians to define the details for
an accreditation program, such as criteria for granting accreditation and the application process. This is one in a series of articles examining an
accreditation program.
T
he SSC offers two levels of accredita- on the SSC web site. The database will be were chosen to represent the interests of the
tion, the professional statistician used for networking; it also will be used for society, the statistical profession, and various
(P.Stat.) and the associate statistician strategic planning of course offerings and areas of statistical expertise. In particular,
(A.Stat.). P.Stat. and A.Stat. are registered assessments of strengths and gaps in the the slate represented major subject-matter
Canadian federal trademarks held by the expertise available in Canada. areas, SSC geographic regions, employer
SSC that indicate to the broader statistical A public database will be available at the sectors (university, government, industry),
and nonstatistical communities that the SSC web site with picture identification of and English/French language capabil-
holder has achieved a certain level of profes- accredited members, along with short sum- ity. It also included the founder of ASSQ
sional competence in the understanding and maries of career paths. This latter element Accreditation and an RSS C.Stat.
application of statistical methods, maintains is expected to be an invaluable resource to A number of Canadian professional
a level of ethical practice and professional promote the discipline of statistics to high- designation model-types were considered,
development appropriate to areas of prac- school students, early undergraduates, and including the following:
tice, and has good oral and written commu- the broader community.
nication skills. A certificate of accreditation Additionally, there are two downloadable
1. Actuarial (National Charter, by Act
level and licensee number are issued to promotional brochures: Accreditation of
of Canadian Parliament)
recipients of accredited status. The accred- Professional Statisticians in Canada (www.
2. Professions (Medicine, Law,
ited statistician may affix the received desig-
ssc.ca/accreditation/documents/accreditation_
Engineering; Provincial Charters)
nation to his/her list of professional qualifi- e.pdf) and the SSC Code of Ethical
cations. With maintenance, the P.Stat. Statistical Practice (www.ssc.ca/accreditation/
3. Physicists (National Federal
designation is expected to be for life. documents/ethics_e.pdf).
Trademark)
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Statisticians hold quite a spectrum of professional roles in society, which would
not easily be defined for a national charter.
null
The qualification of A.Stat. indicates
Timeline
At the time, types 1–3 had examina-
the holder has completed a course of study
As the ASA, the SSC had an early failure
tions. Actuarial exams were run in con-
equivalent to a major or honors degree in
to approve SSC accreditation. See the JSM
junction with the American Society of
statistics, or, in exceptional instances, has
Proceedings paper appendix for key details
Actuaries. Examinations were not viewed
otherwise demonstrated an advanced under-
of the first proposal (1989–1994) and
as possible without the ASA, nor were they
standing of statistical theory and its applica-
step-wise approval of the second proposal
viewed as necessary, as most formal statis-
tion. An A.Stat. is required to have a P.Stat.
(2000–2007).
tical education is already graded through
mentor for professional interactions. university courses. Statisticians hold quite
SSC accreditation is for practice in Background a spectrum of professional roles in society,
Canada by a statistician who is a Canadian
The Interim Accreditation Committee was
which would not easily be defined for a
citizen or legally entitled to work in
formed in 2003, following the May–June
national charter. Provincial charters would
Canada. Accredited members of the SSC
Meeting of the SSC Board, where there was
franchise heterogeneous groups of profes-
maintain their accreditation qualification
approval in principle to produce accredita-
sional statisticians in only a few provinc-
with the payment of annual SSC member-
tion documentation for the October board’s
es. The physicists’ model of federal trade
ship fees and the annual SSC accreditation
consideration; the direction for the docu-
marking seemed feasible with national
dues and forms.
mentation was to follow that approved in
identification for a relatively small group
An accredited member’s only database
the 2001 SSC referendum. The 14 members
of participants. The physicists’ legal team
with past and new areas of expertise and
of the Interim Accreditation Committee
looked after SSC accreditation, and there
practice will be kept in a database posted was a sharing of previously developed
16 AMSTAT NEWS APRIL 2008
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