Event Title
Our PSM Biostatistics Internship at Spectrum Health
Location
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
Description
PURPOSE: Practicing biostatistics in a professional setting is an integral part of the PSM biostatistics degree and a requirement for graduation. At the Spectrum Health Research Department we were able to develop our statistical consulting skills in a health care setting. CHALLENGE: As the main consultants for the research department, we had to perform our duties independently and with minimal outside assistance. This challenged us to utilize our knowledge and research skills to be able to solve the problems that we were given. EXPERIENCE: We learned new statistical skills such as factor analysis, survey development, and new SAS techniques. Additionally we were able to better develop our skills with sample size calculation and power analysis. We had the opportunity to work on projects from many departments and in the process improved our communication with health care professionals and organization of various projects through meetings and other forms of communication. OUTCOME: We were able to assist in writing the protocol and sample size portions of protocols for several studies that are in the process of starting data collection. We performed data analysis for projects that had completed their data collection and were in the process of publishing as well. On a professional level we were able to develop our communication skills, both in person and remotely. IMPACT: As a professional and applied program, an internship experience like this was a vital experience to prepare us for work after graduation. We were able to take the techniques from our class one step further while putting them into practice with data and input from researchers. We also faced entirely new situations and were able to learn new techniques beyond our class work.
Our PSM Biostatistics Internship at Spectrum Health
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
PURPOSE: Practicing biostatistics in a professional setting is an integral part of the PSM biostatistics degree and a requirement for graduation. At the Spectrum Health Research Department we were able to develop our statistical consulting skills in a health care setting. CHALLENGE: As the main consultants for the research department, we had to perform our duties independently and with minimal outside assistance. This challenged us to utilize our knowledge and research skills to be able to solve the problems that we were given. EXPERIENCE: We learned new statistical skills such as factor analysis, survey development, and new SAS techniques. Additionally we were able to better develop our skills with sample size calculation and power analysis. We had the opportunity to work on projects from many departments and in the process improved our communication with health care professionals and organization of various projects through meetings and other forms of communication. OUTCOME: We were able to assist in writing the protocol and sample size portions of protocols for several studies that are in the process of starting data collection. We performed data analysis for projects that had completed their data collection and were in the process of publishing as well. On a professional level we were able to develop our communication skills, both in person and remotely. IMPACT: As a professional and applied program, an internship experience like this was a vital experience to prepare us for work after graduation. We were able to take the techniques from our class one step further while putting them into practice with data and input from researchers. We also faced entirely new situations and were able to learn new techniques beyond our class work.