ABSTRACT

In the course of work, an academic biostatistician may get to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds, from professors of medicine to junior doctors in training, medical students and other medical professionals such as physiotherapists and nurses. He/she may also collaborate with other statisticians as well. Although it is usual for a biostatistician to be involved in several concurrent projects, he/she may not be actively working on each one of them at the same time. In the words of a colleague, Assistant Professor John Allen (personal communication), this is akin to ‘managing babies in a busy hospital nursery … while there may be many babies present, only 3-4 may be awake at any time needing attention!’