STATISTICIAN’S VIEW
In response to Keith Crank’s February Amstat News article, “Recruiting Graduate Students in Statistics and Biostatistics,” we received the fol-
lowing letter from a biostatistics graduate student. The issues raised about what statisticians/biostatisticians do and when a PhD is needed are
ones we would like to provide answers to. Please send comments about the issues raised to
keith@amstat.org and we will summarize them for a
future article.
Dear Keith,
My name is Stephanie and I am currently a first-year I think you are certainly right in all you say about
graduate student studying toward a degree in biostatistics. recruiting future statisticians and biostatisticians. But,
I was very intrigued by your article in February’s edition I think more needs to be done to point out the spe-
of Amstat News and so felt compelled to write a response cific opportunities available to students, post-grad work
to you. (especially at a master’s level). And, if possible, this needs
At my undergraduate institution, Lawrence University to occur with undergrads who have an interest in math,
(Appleton, Wisconsin), I was a math and English major. but just don’t know what to do with it.
To be honest, I considered math my “second” major Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself here, because
and didn’t necessarily have any plans to pursue a math- maybe this is already done at major conferences; howev-
related career. I was simply interested in the subject and er, I have yet to attend one. It seems to me that the field
wanted to continue learning about it while studying to of statistics is somewhat like the field of medicine. There
become a journalist. And now, here I am, pursuing a are a myriad opportunities out there, and statisticians
degree in biostatistics. have the privilege to choose which area meets their inter-
I agree with you that master’s programs are instru- est. The problem, however, is that medical fields are well
mental to recruiting students, but I also feel as though defined (oncologist, dietician, orthopedist, etc). In sta-
undergraduate institutions are equally as important. I tistical graduate programs, we don’t study for a particu-
would never have considered statistics as a career choice lar “field” of statistics per se (at least not in the master’s
if I hadn’t worked with a particular statistics professor program). So what exactly is out there? What does a
at Lawrence who wholeheartedly loves what she does statistician do on a daily basis in different types of jobs
and believes in the importance of what she teaches. My (federal, academic, private, etc)?
undergraduate experience was certainly the first step in I’ve already heard, and will continue to hear, that there
my decisionmaking process. So, I believe that’s where are many jobs out there for biostatisticians, but what are
it starts and perhaps where more focus needs to be they? What type of job is possible for a master’s student,
placed in recruiting future statisticians. From this point, as compared to a PhD student? And, in each situation,
though, it all becomes murky. what responsibilities are given to the statistician?
As you suggested in your article, potential graduate I think, as students, we’re looking for some concrete
students are interested in more than whether a particular answers. When individuals study to be teachers or psy-
program exists at a given school; they also want to know chologists or doctors, they have a fairly good idea what
more about their potential careers in the future. I think their jobs will be like. For up-and-coming statisticians,
this is a current pitfall in recruiting good candidates. at least those in my department, we just aren’t quite sure
I must confess that I am going through this program beyond knowing what our own professors do on a daily
somewhat aimlessly, although I am learning more as basis. And maybe that’s one of the wonderful things
the year progresses. But, if the goal is to bring in more about this field, but at our age, we are still searching
qualified students to graduate-level programs, it may be for answers.
too late to be learning about the available opportunities I chose to continue on to graduate school because I
in statistics. Many people, especially those in research- love learning, I love statistics, and, quite frankly, I didn’t
related fields, are increasingly realizing the importance know what else to do with a math and English degree.
and necessity of statistics; however, in my experiences, I have passions for statistics, English, and sports, and
not many people can pin down what jobs actually exist someday I hope to be able to meld those passions into
outside of academia. As students, we are told that there an exciting career. But, for now, I’ll continue forward
is a great need for statisticians, but for what? I would in my studies, holding on to the hope that something
love to someday work on a team that does research on (anything?) will fall into place.
athletes, but I have yet to find someone who can tell me
if a job like that even exists, or how to go about finding
jobs like that, or even whether a PhD is required over a Take Care,
master’s degree in this situation. Stephanie
MAY 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 31
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