Questions about programs

[limsupconfused]

Seems like every topic on the math/stats board is about biostatistics, which makes it easy for me.

 

To put it briefly, I know this is kind of an odd (and perhaps unanswerable) question, but I'm applying for PhD programs for next year and am wondering what various programs are like. I just don't think I've seen any similar topics on the forums, and feel that something along these lines would be helpful to other applicants considering applying to programs.

 

In particular, the top programs (think UW, Michigan, Harvard, Hopkins, UNC, Minnesota, etc.): What are the particular strengths of each department? From some initial forum searching, it looks like Michigan has a reputation for being strong in statistical genetics, Hopkins in Neuro, Harvard in cancer, etc., but are those accurate? What about other programs like UNC that I never seem to hear anything about on the forums, despite them being so highly regarded? What are job prospects like post graduation?

 

I know I kind of vomited questions onto the page, but I'm really just looking for a "feeling" for each of those departments. I suppose nothing can replace an actual visit to the department (in the off chance I'm accepted by any!), but anything would be helpful.

[ginagirl]

I can speak for Hopkins- like you said there is a lot of strength with neuroimaging, but there is also a lot of interest/work in genomics.

Some of these programs should have information about their working groups on their website, or you at least might be able to get a sense of what work is being produced by looking at recent publications by faculty and students.

You might be able to get some of these questions answered also by contacting programs after you've done a little digging around. It might be a good idea to contact faculty that do work in areas you're interested in, and they might be willing to talk with you more about it or put you in touch with a current student.

[Biostat_Assistant_Prof]

The bigger departments have faculty in many diverse areas, not just one single thing. From what I've seen, smaller departments are the ones that seem to be more "specialized." At Hopkins the two primary areas that come to mind are neuroimaging and longitudinal data, but that's based off of what I know about a few specific faculty members there. Harvard makes me think of everything- longitudinal, Bayesian, environmental, genetics, etc. Michigan I think of genetics and clinical trials, and a touch of Bayesian....

 

But really, in any specific area of research, I think you'll find the "all-stars" of that field are spread out. Seriously, it can get so specific that you will know off the top of your head the top 20-30 people in the world doing the most influential research in your area. For example, in my area of interest, when I think of where researchers are spread out, I think of a few people dispersed across 10 or so different places. Ironically, the institutions with the most faculty working in my area of interest are not one of Harvard, Hopkins, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, or UNC. Actually, of those top 6 schools, from only 3 of them can I think of 4 total faculty that do research in the area I'm now in. In fact, the institution I associate most heavily with my area doesn't even fall into the "top 10" ... actually, I've rarely ever seen it mentioned on here. 

Edited November 13, 2014 by Biostat_student_22

[sild]

Job prospects are superb for grads from the top schools (Harvard, UNC, Hopkins, UW, Michigan); students who don't get jobs generally carrying out quite focused searches (e.g., trying to live near partner in specific city).  These programs are all quite broad in their training, as Latte indicated.  UNC is a quite large department with faculty representing most areas.  They have something of a reputation of being one of the mathier programs currently, but if you look at their website you can see that a few faculty members are super theoretical while others are quite applied; most are somewhere in the middle. 

[limsupconfused]

Ah, thanks for all the help. Actually UNC and UW are probably the departments I'm most interested in (honestly, weather factors a huge deal into it; hopefully I get admitted to either). I know UW has a reputation of being really math-heavy, but didn't know UNC was as well. Any other insight on UNC in particular? 

[wine in coffee cups]

For UW biostat, looking at what current students are working on might help you get a better sense of the range of research. The department has weekly student seminars and all the talk abstracts are conveniently posted here.

 

As for job prospects, biostatistics faculty positions or postdocs are the most common. Graduates often want to stay in Seattle and take a position at a local research organization (the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center or one of the many hospitals or health care systems in the area). Few alumni end up in private industry (~5% of PhDs). Right now, alumni tend to stay within biostatistics, and the department is not a huge feeder for non-biostat jobs at tech companies, general "data science" positions, or anything like that. I don't know how this compares with other biostatistics departments.

[crlee]

Few alumni end up in private industry (~5% of PhDs). Right now, alumni tend to stay within biostatistics, and the department is not a huge feeder for non-biostat jobs at tech companies, general "data science" positions, or anything like that. I don't know how this compares with other biostatistics departments.

 

Does anyone know what biostats/statistics departments, besides Berkeley and Stanford, send more alumni to the tech industry?

[limsupconfused]

Thank you, everyone, for the responses. Doesn't seem like people have much to say about UNC, but from other browsing, they're so close to the Research Triangle that it seems like it would be pretty easy to find a job there.