Educational Programs Bachelor's Degree Florida International University Florida State University University of Central Florida University of Florida University of North Florida University of West Florida Master's Degree Florida International University Florida State University University of Central Florida University of Florida University of Miami University of North Florida University of South Florida University of West Florida Doctor of Philosophy Florida State University University of Florida Professional Associations American Statistical Association International Biometric Society Society for Clinical Trials

Biostatisticians are statisticians who apply their skills in health-related fields. They typically collaborate with other researchers in the health disciplines, designing studies, collecting data, and analyzing datasets in pursuit of answers to specific questions.

Such studies may provide information on how a disease progresses, the safety and efficacy of a new treatment or medication, or the impact of risk factors associated with a medical condition. Studies are also undertaken to estimate health care costs and quality of health care provided to aid those responsible for making health policy and quality assurance decisions.

Biostatisticians provide expertise in the planning stages (e.g. experimental design, sample size considerations), on data collection, on choosing and implementing appropriate methodologies, and interpreting the results. Some situations require the biostatistician to develop new methods appropriate for the particular problem. The expertise of biostatisticians and epidemiologists overlap considerably, but their respective training reflects differing areas of interest.

Biostatistician

Areas of Specialization
Health-related research projects require biostatistical support. New fields of study requiring specialized biostatistical knowledge, such as statistical genetics and medical imaging, are growing at a rapid pace. Biostatisticians also can find jobs in related areas such as veterinary medicine, botany, and wildlife research.

Work Environment
Biostatisticians work in hospitals, health care facilities, colleges and universities, industry, and in numerous sectors within the government. They also work with government surveys and market research (The Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies Presents Careers in Statistics http://www.amstat.org/careers/copss/index.cfm?fuseaction=main). They often work as part of a team of scientists, which may include physicians and other health professionals, epidemiologists, health policy analysts, health econometricians, and computer programmers.

Job Outlook
The number of statisticians employed in Florida in 2006 was 415. It is projected that in 2014 there will be 454. This represents an annual average growth rate of 1.2 percent.

Length of Training/Requirements
A bachelor's degree with a major in biostatistics, statistics or mathematics is the minimum requirement for entry-level positions. Most jobs require a master's or doctoral degree.

Statistics programs with concentration in biostatistics are available at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in Florida. Students planning to become biostatisticians should have a strong interest and background in mathematics, computers, and medical, biological, or health sciences.

Licensure/Certification

No licensure or certification is required at the present time.

Salary
The average annual wage or salary in Florida in 2006 was $57,380.