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Did You Know? What is the difference between Epidemiology and Biostatistics? Epidemiology is a health care discipline with an important distinction: The “patient” isn’t an individual, but rather an entire community or population. Specifically, epidemiology uses science, systems-thinking, and data to determine the underlying causes of different diseases and health outcomes in a population. Epidemiologists tend to focus on two areas: distribution and determination. Biostatistics is often considered in conjunction with epidemiology; though related, these disciplines aren’t the same. Biostatistics studies biological phenomena through the use of statistical modeling, methodologies and processes. The biostatistician may design a biological experiment, and then collect and interpret the data that the experiment yields. Biostatistics provides the foundation of much epidemiological research. In other words, epidemiologists often use biostatistical principles and methods to draw data-backed, mathematical conclusions about population health issues. Biostatistics is considered one of the foundational disciplines in public health. Specifically, biostatisticians conduct quantitative and qualitative research to help identify population health trends and risk factors. This work may involve several methodologies, including the following: Clinical trials Focus groups Surveys Case studies Field observation Laboratory experiments Through these and other methodologies, biostatisticians gather and analyze data, which may lead them to statistically significant conclusions about how different diseases originate or spread. These findings often provide clues as to how these diseases may be controlled, prevented or eradicated. (Source: University of Nevada) |
Duties and Tasks
As a biostatistician, you would:
decide what biological data is needed to answer specific questions or help solve problems
determine methodology for collecting data
assist in designing experiments or clinical trials to collect data
analyse data and patient or client feedback to draw conclusions
report conclusions from analyses
predict demand for products or treatments
look at population health trends and predict future trends
interprete and communicate any findings
advise pharmacology companies, medical practitioners or government on trends
Working conditions
As a biostatistician you would usually work a standard number of
hours per week, with overtime as necessary to meet project
deadlines.
You would typically be based in an office and would travel to
meetings, interviews or forums, sometimes in medical settings.
Tools and technologies
Biostatisticians use computers at all stages of their work, from the initial survey design right through to the interpretation and presentation of their findings. They frequently use specialised programs to assist in sorting and manipulating the data in order to better identify trends and understand the relationships between different factors.
Education and training/entrance requirements
To become a biostatistician you usually have to study a degree in
medical science, mathematics or public health followed by a
postgraduate qualification in biostatistics, medical statistics,
public health or epidemiology at university.
To get into these courses you usually need to gain your senior
secondary school certificate or equivalent. English, mathematics,
chemistry, biology and physics would be appropriate subjects to
study prior to university.
Employment Opportunities
Employment of biostatisticians is projected to grow much faster than
the average for all occupations.
Growth is expected to result from increased use of technology to
gather medical data and undertake statistical analyses to be used in
medical research, mapping of population health trends, vaccine and
drug production and increasingly in biomedical equipment
manufacturing.
Sports Statistics Star Dr Stephanie Kovalchik CAMEO Dr Stephanie is currently a Research Fellow within IHES and holds a joint appointment at Tennis Australia, where she works as a data scientist for the Game Intelligence Group. Stephanie’s area of expertise is statistics. She received her PhD from UCLA, where she focused on multi-level modelling, prediction, and risk assessment. Stephanie has held appointments as a statistical researcher at the National Cancer Institute and the RAND Corporation, where she developed new statistical methods for handling complex health science data. While working in the health sciences, Stephanie was also conducting quantitative research in tennis. In her current role at ISEAL and Tennis Australia, she is working on advancing tennis analytics. She is involved with various projects using data analysis to help understand performance in tennis and has particular interest in identifying patterns of performance, patterns of development and measuring the mental side of tennis. Dr Stephanie Kovalchik got her start in sport statistics from behind her keyboard while watching the tennis on TV. With a Bachelor of Science, Master’s degree and PhD in Biostatistics under her belt, Stephanie was working in traditional biostatistics research roles. But at night, she would work on her passion project; mapping out stats-backed answers to some of tennis’ big questions. In 2016 she turned her side hustle into her day job, and now Stephanie works with tennis statistics every day. “There’s so much data available that can help us address questions like how the sport is structured, or to help give players and coaches a competitive edge.” Day-to-day, Stephanie uses maths processes like statistical modelling, Bayes’ Theorem (which shows how to update probabilities with new information), and machine learning to quantify things like how a player’s physicality might affect their performance. “It’s good to have a background in foundational maths, algebra and calculus to work in statistics,” says Stephanie, but she wasn’t always maths’ biggest fan. It was only when she was put into the highest class in Year 7 that Stephanie realised, “I must have had a talent I didn’t appreciate.” Tennis, however, has always been a passion, and spending time on the court even helps her to do her job better. “Knowing what it feels like to hit a ball helps to inform your research,” she says. “I love the sport so it doesn’t really feel like work.” Stephanie’s career path >> Bachelor of Science (Biology/Literature), California Institute of Technology >> Master’s degree in Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles >> PhD in Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles >> Senior Data Scientist, Tennis Australia & Research Fellow at the Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University Articles by Dr. Stephanie from The Conversation
Material sourced from Victoria University Careers with STEM |
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