My name is Sara O’Brien and I joined PROMETRIKA in Summer 2024 as a Biostatistics Intern. I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Biostatistics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I previously received my BSPH in Biostatistics from UNC Chapel Hill (May 2023) and I will complete my master’s program in March 2025. During my internship, I reported directly to the Associate Director of Biostatistics and Leader of DMC Services and had the opportunity to directly collaborate with PROMETRIKA’s President & CEO, Senior Statistical Advisor, Associate Director of Biostatistics, Senior Regulatory Affairs Advisor, and many others across the Biostatistics Department and broader company.
Working at PROMETRIKA has been an incredibly enriching experience. There is a strong culture here that encourages interns to directly immerse themselves into the industry and get as much hands-on experience as possible in clinical trials. I have attained knowledge in biostatistics through SAS programming, drafting tables, listings, and figures (TLF) shells, writing Statistical Analysis Plans (SAPs), and assisting in statistical review of outputs. I have been able to sit in on internal meetings and external meetings with sponsors (Study Kick-off Meetings, Study Timeline Meetings, etc.), and further familiarize myself with clinical trials through intentionally designed technical trainings and cross-functional department meetings. PROMETRIKA’s internship program in Biostatistics leverages students’ prior knowledge in regression analyses (longitudinal, survival, etc.) and programming (SAS/R) and applies it to a diverse range of indications, study designs, and phases of clinical trials. Leadership and management are not only approachable, but genuinely invested in our personal growth and capacity to contribute to projects.
In particular, working closely on SAPs and statistical sections of clinical trial protocols has been invaluable. I have been able to explore methods which were previously less familiar to me, such as mixed models for repeated measures, mixed models for crossover designs, and strategies to address multiplicity. I have felt greatly inspired being surrounded by a group of individuals truly passionate about biostatistics and look forward to all the opportunities to come with PROMETRIKA as I continue my internship in the fall!
