There is a national shortage of qualified biostatisticians. This application aims to create an innovative summer program, the Minnesota Summer Institute for Training in Biostatistics (SIBS), aimed at stimulating undergraduate students to pursue careers in biostatistics. The training program will be housed in the Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Heath. Twenty-five trainees will participate in the Minnesota SIBS program in each of three 6-week summer sessions beginning in 2013 and continuing through 2015. The training will include core faculty known for their teaching ability who will present lessons and lead discussions each day, seminar speakers who lead important heart and lung research projects funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and an active learning computer laboratory where trainees analyze and interpret data analyses they carry out on the landmark Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT) and work in groups to design a study and learn practical and logistical aspects of data collection by using a virtual online world of inhabitants (The Island). Field tris are also planned for the trainees to provide opportunities to see how data for clinical studies arise and how biostatisticians in different settings work.

Public Health Relevance

There is a national shortage of qualified biostatisticians. This 6-week summer training program addresses this shortage by stimulating undergraduate students to pursue careers in biostatistics. The training will be provided by a group of faculty known for their teaching abilityin biostatistics and epidemiology, and by seminar speakers who lead important heart and lung research projects. As part of the program, trainees will go on field trips designed to exemplify the breadth of career opportunities for biostatisticians. (End of Abstract)

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Continuing Education Training Grants (T15)
Project #
5T15HL117414-03
Application #
8802891
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1)
Program Officer
Yang, Song
Project Start
2013-03-01
Project End
2016-02-28
Budget Start
2015-03-01
Budget End
2016-02-28
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Department
Biostatistics & Other Math Sci
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
555917996
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55455