Master's in Biostatistics

[statshopeful]

Hi! I'm considering a career as a biostatistician. I have a degree in medical science (with just intro stats), so I'm going to be taking a bunch of more advanced stats courses over the next year and a half, but I'm also looking into graduate school options. Basically, I'm just wondering whether I should do a course-based Master's or a thesis-based Master's. I have no interest in going into academia; what I'd really like to do is clinical trials work (for a pharmaceutical company). Obviously, a thesis-based Master's is going to be at least slightly better - it's essentially the same as the course-based but with a thesis - but I'd like to get in and out of school ASAP. Even if I were only to do a one-year course-based Master's, I'll have spent eight years in university when all is said and done. I noticed a lot of career information brochures and job postings say a Master's is required - so is there a big preference, in industry, for people with thesis-based Master's degrees?

[crayolacat]

I would suggest going to linkedin.com, join the pharma groups there, and ask there if you haven't already. There may even be some groups specific for biostats people (I've never searched for that).