Supporting Activities and Facilities

The Division of Biostatistics, administratively located within the School of Public Health, is part of the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, a community of clinical and research departments in the School of Public Health, Medical School, School of Dentistry, College of Pharmacy, School of Nursing, and College of Veterinary Medicine. The setting is interdisciplinary. Students are urged to take full advantage of the rich opportunities found at a large health sciences center.

Coordinating Centers for Biometric Research
An integral part of the Division of Biostatistics, the Coordinating Centers for Biometric Research (CCBR) is an off-campus data coordinating and analysis center for several federally funded clinical trials and other research projects. Some faculty members have their primary office space in this facility, as do many support staff and several graduate students, who gain valuable practical experience as research assistants.

Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center
The Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center (BDAC) is a fee-for-service facility that provides statistical consulting for a variety of projects based primarily in the Academic Health Center. The BDAC staff consult and participate on a variety of studies, providing consulting, design of forms, data management, statistical analysis, arrangements for coding, and data entry. Each year the BDAC employs three to five graduate students who gain valuable experience as research assistants.

School of Statistics
The School of Statistics offers a wide selection of courses in addition to those required in the biostatistics program. There are regular seminars in both theoretical and applied statistics.

Library Facilities
The Biostatistics Reading Room is a private library maintained by the Division for faculty and student use. Current biostatistics journals are available, as well as a broad selection of books and current computing manuals. The University's Biomedical Library provides a broad text and journal selection along with reference, search and copying services, and the Mathematics Library has theoretical as well as applied statistical selections.

Computer Facilities
The Division of Biostatistics has an extensive computing network of SUN workstations, graphics terminals and microcomputers with a range of statistical, word processing and presentation software. Connection to the University ethernet facilitates access to other computers and to the Internet. Each student in the program receives an account on the Division's workstation network and retains this account for the duration of their studies to support e-mail, course work, and research on the Plan B project or doctoral dissertation. The Division maintains 2 computer labs for use by students, housing SUN workstations, X-terminals, PC's, and a laser printer.

University facilities range from microcomputers to main-frame computers; most are Internet accessible. Several monthly newsletters carry information and announcements on non-credit "short courses." Students also receive a University e-mail account which is needed for external modem access to University computers, including the Biostatistics network.

School of Public Health Career Center
The Career Center helps students and alumni maximize employment opportunities, enhance career development skills, and develop and maintain professional contacts. The Center houses a resource library and database of job postings, sponsors a yearly series of work shops, and co-hosts Career Action Day, a job recruiting fair attended by employers from the private, non-profit, and public sectors.