ENAR
2023-03-20
The Setting
History of Biostatistics at Vanderbilt
- Chuck Federspiel was the first PhD biostatistician in 1959
- Bill Dupont arrived in 1977
- Yu Shyr arrived in 1994
- Division of Biostatistics in Department of Preventive Medicine
- Significant talent already present
VUMC
- Academic medical centers: majority of biomedical research funding
- Tremendous growth in NIH grant funding had started
- Major cancer center
- Difficult to recruit enough faculty biostatisticians into a Division
- Operating fund, recruitment funds, P&T were not controlled by biostatisticians
- VU School of Medicine had not decided to go “all in” on biostatistics
VUMC,
continued
- Vanderbilt School of Medicine has > 2200 faculty covering every area of biomedical research
- Success in recruitment of biomedical research faculty (our collaborators) was stunning
- School of Medicine rewarded team science in P&T
- No funding for pre-grant development work outside the cancer center
- Big push for new department from 3 research leaders
- Big push from existing Biostatistics faculty
The Opportunity
Evolution
- Originally position was for Vice Chair of Preventive Medicine
- Hired as consultant to make suggestions for strengthening the division
- Main suggestion: grow it into a department
- Dean and Vice Chancellor agreed and asked me to be first head
- Sought counsel from career mentor David DeMets
- Opportunity to implement a number of ideas