Finding new ways to collect and analyse any data is what statisticians, as well as bio-statisticians, are focused on. However, when we talk about the difference, it is mainly the career options that divides the two of these professions. Statistics and MSc in Biostatistics in India are both equally accepted.
“Statistician” is a vast sector, and covers every professional person who works for a group of employees desiring data collection. While on the other hand, “biostatisticians” describes a type or a group of statisticians, who mainly focus on data collection in regards to health.
Biostatistics is an integration of biological principles with statistics. Whereas, Statistics is a subdivision of science that deals with compilation, categorisation, and analysis of data.
There are a few significant differences we can list out, which involve the responsibilities of each of the professionals, and the career objectives.
The difference in responsibilities :
As we know, both these professions are focused on data collecting methods, which represent a particular issue. The work of a statistician is well required in the field of engineering and businesses, whereas a biostatistician is focused on the medical sector, such as hospitals and pharmaceuticals companies.
Statistician:
The work of a statistician is to collect necessary demographic, economic, sports opinion data and the required data for the federal government. The data is validated by establishing mathematical methods within specific intervals.
Job responsibilities:
Usage of computers to identify the relationship between data.
Modeling of trending data, based upon the sample methods.
Improving the methods of data collection by considering the probability theory.
Converting raw data in graphs and charts to understand the relationship.
Biostatistician:
A biostatistician studies the effectiveness of a particular drug or medicine in treating a disease, or any data related to the living source. This is a very crucial task, as it involves living organisms, and the biostatistician will have to be able to account for its variability when analysing the data.
Job responsibilities:
Modeling critical and infectious diseases cases to predict potential outbreaks.
Collaboration with doctors to design an in-depth studies of health.
Research for birth and death records.
Career Options:
Biostatistician:
This is a vast field of studies. The course offers specialisation in various areas like; Biostatistics are Environmental Statistics, Genomics and Bioinformatics. This is more of a research-oriented field. And thus, the students can apply and consider a PhD program in biostatistics.
Once they are done with their course, they can start to find themselves jobs in both governments as well as private agencies/sectors. Initially, the biostatisticians are often placed in the Forensics Department, Pharmaceutical companies, Medical institutes, laboratories and in health care companies.
Statistician:
Statistics also offers a lot of courses that one can consider. With the complication of undergraduate and postgraduate, a student can pursue a PhD or M Phil program in the field of statistics.
After the complication of their studies, a statistician can look into the field of media, business establishment, banks, an insurance company, and much more.
With all the possible major differences listed, a student can now have a clear idea and choose statistics or Msc Biostatistics colleges in India to make a career respectively.