An Industry Statistician in Animal Health Daniel H. Mowrey Ph.D. Eli Lilly and Company Statisticians have found productive, challenging, and rewarding careers in many industries. In particular, the animal health industry is one in which statisticians have been involved for many years. The discussion which follows will focus on the role of a statistician in aiding the animal health industry working in the livestock component.
Some colleagues have nominal or moderate formal statistical training, but many have none.
The animal health statistician must become familiar with the area in which he or she is working in order to give guidance and direction for the problem being investigated and to assist in writing reports and formal papers and giving presentations. The problems that an animal health statistician encounters are diverse and challenging. In general, the statistician works with a team of colleagues to discover, develop, and market a compound. Rigorous tests and processes must be conducted in order to receive government approval and in order to market the compound properly. The tests and processes occur in four phases of a company's research.