Biostatisticians apply mathematics, statistics, and data to biology. How? By collecting, analyzing, and summarizing the data they collect during their biological research to draw conclusions in the areas of medicine and agriculture.
They are a critical addition to any research team and are often involved in the writing of papers on groundbreaking topics and research.
Anytime statistics like “75% of people who smoke develop lung cancer,” are heard, one can be sure that the hard work of a biostatistician was behind it.
These highly trained and educated people analyze and study the determining factors that impact the health and well-being of people, plants, and animals in order to arrive at conclusions about disorders, disease, or other health risks. With this information, a biostatistician can study the effects of various treatments based on the findings and numbers of the analysis.
Biostatisticians devise studies in order to determine risk factors for certain things, deciding which elements should be discarded and which should be included. They review the data that was collected and issue papers or reports to various agencies or employers on the findings of the data.
Biostatisticians are sometimes asked to determine the factors involved in certain medical problems and how much, if any, risk exists for certain treatments for those problems. Using mathematics, they may determine a probable cause for the biological or medical situation that they are being asked to study.
Pharmaceutical companies use biostatisticians during their clinical studies to determine how effective or ineffective a certain drug is on the human population. In addition to creating new data, a biostatistician will sometimes evaluate current data on a particular subject to determine possible outcomes for the purpose of shaping public health policies and education.
Biostatisticians often gather necessary data before an experiment can take place, gather data during the experimental stage and gather data after the experiments are over in order to determine the level of real world success or failure.
A person in the biostatistics field will find employment in universities, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, medical corporations, and agricultural firms. They often work as a part of a team of scientists during typical office working hours, 40 hours per week. Travel may be necessary to confer with other scientists.
A person working as a Biostatistician in Kenya typically earns around KSH197,000 per month. Salaries range from KSH96,600 (lowest) to KSH307,000 (highest).
Data analysis and programming skills are highly prized as research and development funds in the life sciences grow, so employment growth of biostatisticians will be much faster-than-average
A person wishing to have a career in the biostatistics field must have a degree in mathematics, statistics, or biostatistics.
A masters or PhD is commonly required for one to get hired as a biostatistician. Courses in analysis of categorical data, probability, linear regression, randomized clinical trials, and statistical interference, are all necessary.
