The training of clinical trails statisticians: a clinician's view

Clinical investigations today involves not only multidisciplinary teamwork but also investigators at multiple institutions observing the same criteria and standards in order to make possible the valid pooling of data in collaborative studies. As a result, there has been increasing awareness of the biostatistician's role, not simply in interpreting the data at the end of the study, but in every step of clinical investigation. This involvement ranges from study design and feasibility testing to data analysis and reporting. The problem is now a shortage of biostatisticians appropriately trained for clinical trials statistical methodology. As the statistician's role is of great importance, more graduate training programs in statistics should prepare statisticians for clinical trials work. This would pave the way to the many exciting and rewarding career opportunities which are available for statisticians in the area of clinical trails.