Strategies for the Recruitment, Retention, and Successful Career Development of the Collaborative Biostatistician in an Academic Health Center

• Activity Number: 598
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Consulting
• Author(s): J. Richard Landis* and Manisha Desai* and Mimi Kim* and Soledad Fernandez* and Christopher Lindsell*
• Companies: University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Stanford University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine and The Ohio State University and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• Keywords: career ; health center ; biomedical ; recruitment ; retention ; faculty

Abstract

With the growing need for biostatistical support in medical research, biostatisticians are becoming established with increasing frequency in clinical departments and/or academic health centers. The missions of such centers are typically distinct from those of departments of biostatistics in Schools of Public Health with established degree programs. The difference in missions has implications in the recruitment, retention and professional career development of respective biostatisticians. This panel will discuss the challenges in career development for biostatistics faculty who live in an academic health center and strategies for recruitment and retention of the appropriate phenotype. Issues include the mentoring and training of graduate students and junior faculty to prepare for and thrive in such positions, identifying appropriate candidates, criteria for promotion, the process of evaluation, and establishing an independent research agenda that fits with the mission of the home department.