SL01: Cultivating a Career as a Statistical Collaborator and Medical Researcher in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Music City Center 

A major element of professional success is to cultivate a culture of collaboration within one's work and organization. The successful 21st-century statistician needs to develop and refine first-rate quantitative skills through dedication, habitual study, and regular practice. This presentation provides an historical perspective on the eclectic role and responsibilities of biostatisticians specifically in the pharmaceutical industry. Recommendations are given on how biostatisticians there can be effective collaborators and medical researchers. Topics covered include the importance of finding a mentor, being open and aware of professional opportunities, and developing a tolerance for change. Also highlighted are examples of methodological research conducted and led by biostatisticians.