CS02 - Panel: Assess Yourself, Acquire Skills, and Attain a Leadership Role: Statistical Practice Needs You!

Room: Salon I 

Biostatisticians and data scientists are key in competitions for grants, patents, publications and other concrete outcomes in academic health centers, teaching institutions, biotech firms, pharma and other companies looking to make data-driven improvements. They also participate in the education of undergraduate and graduate students in biostatistics and data science, students and researchers in other fields, clinical informatics professionals, and business leaders. However, biostatisticians and data scientists are largely focused on traditional supporting roles, often in isolation and find themselves unprepared to step up into leadership roles. Statisticians with interest in leadership can also become discouraged when they consider applying for leadership roles. There have been some efforts to provide information about career advancement in graduate level coursework, and some statisticians have been given the opportunity to attend leadership academies by their employers. More avenues for professional development are urgently needed.

This panel will discuss this issue, provide insights into three distinct career paths, demonstrate tools for assessment of one's leadership aspirations, and demystify the attainment of a leadership role. The panelists will share tools such as self-analysis through writing your stories to assess strengths, weaknesses, and preferences; taking on responsibilities in team projects that help address the weaknesses identified; and dissecting accomplishments as career compass and use of peer-mentoring and coaching to change direction towards leadership. They will showcase the value of these tools through their own examples and provide handouts with references and available curriculums. They will also demonstrate how statisticians and data scientists can translate their interest in leadership into a plan to attain a future role through self-study, upskilling, peer-mentoring, career-coaching, and leadership programs.
References:

Total Leadership: How a two-minute story helps you lead (https://www.totalleadership.org/2009/08/04/how-a-two-minute-story-helps-you-lead/)
Satagopan J and Mazumdar M: (2020) Team Science in Biostatistical Collaboration: An opportunity to practice leadership, embrace diversity, manage conflict, and share credit (Book Chapter in Leadership in Statistics and Data Science: Planning for Inclusive Excellence, NYC, NY: Springer; Editor: Golbeck AL)

Katz J, Sonnino R, Morahan P. Annual Performance Evaluations with a Positive Twist. Academic Physician & Scientist, September 2008.
Katz J, Sonnino R, Morahan P. Dissecting Accomplishments as a Career Compass. Academic Physician & Scientist, October 2006.
Kram, K.E.; Isabella, L.A. Mentoring alternatives: The role of peer relationships in career development. Acad. Manag. J. 1985, 28, 110–132.

Organizer: Dr. Madhu Mazumdar is a professor of biostatistics at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City (NYC) and is the founding Director of the Institute for Healthcare Delivery Science (i-HDS) at Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) in New York City (NYC). She received her master's degree in statistics from University of Delhi, India, master's degree in mathematics from University of Pittsburgh, and PhD in mathematical statistics from Penn State University. She did a fellowship in Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) from Drexel University where she now teaches and advises. Madhu was also the founding chief of the Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC) and directed the biostatistics core for their Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) grant. She was recently appointed Associate Director of quantitative data science for MSHS's National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer center. Dr. Mazumdar is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, and a recipient of the Team Science Award and the Elizabeth L. Scott Award for Mentoring.

Leadership aspiration assessment

Leadership readiness

Leadership preparation

Story Telling

Team Science

Peer-Mentoring 

Career, Professional, and Leadership Development

Conference on Statistical Practice (CSP) 2024