Chaewon Jeong is a second-year student in Duke’s Master of Biostatistics program. Chaewon has a Bachelor of Science in applied life chemistry from Seoul National University.
Did you work prior to enrolling in graduate school? What work did you do?
Before enrolling in the Duke MB program, I worked for five years as a bioanalytical project manager at Samsung Bioepis. To obtain pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and immunogenicity results from clinical trials during drug development, it is essential to establish assays that can measure efficacy or safety endpoints, such as drug concentration or the presence of anti-drug antibodies. My role was to establish those bioanalytical methods and manage sample analyses so that reliable clinical results could be derived.
What drew you to the field of Biostatistics?
During my work, I was able to generate data, but I was not able to interpret what the data truly meant. To become an expert in clinical trials, I realized that knowledge of biostatistics is essential.
What factored into your decision to attend Duke for graduate school?
It is my first time studying in the United States, so I prioritized finding a supportive and collaborative environment. Before committing to Duke after receiving the offer letter, I attended an orientation and felt that the program was very caring and welcoming. Since my undergraduate major was not statistics, I also wanted a beginner-friendly program , and I recall that the Duke MB program was the only one that offered pre-orientation classes .
What have you enjoyed most about the MB program to this point in time?
What I have enjoyed most about the MB program so far is the supportive and collaborative environment. Coming from a non-statistics background, I was initially worried about whether I could keep up with the coursework. But the faculty and classmates were always willing to help, and that made my learning much smoother. Also, there are a lot of collaborative opportunities with the faculty, not only within B&B but also across Duke.
What has been the most impactful class so far?
Among all the great classes, the most impactful for me so far are BIOSTAT 721 (R programming) and BIOSTAT 704 (Introduction to Statistical Theory and Methods II) . I had no prior experience with programming, but BIOSTAT 721 helped me become comfortable with the language. BIOSTAT 704 gave me a more advanced and mathematical understanding of statistical terms.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in graduate school?
Time management has been one of my biggest challenges. There are so many things I want to do, but I often feel that time is not enough. In fact, I feel even busier now than when I was working at the company.
Have you participated on a research project, or did you complete a summer internship? Please write a short description about where you were, the work you did, and what you learned.
Currently, I have been participating in the BCTIP internship organized by the Duke BERD Core and will continue until graduation. I work for both the pharmacy and the Duke Global Health Institute. Through the pharmacy projects, I performed statistical analyses, authored statistical analysis reports, and presented them to principal investigators. I trained extensively in SAS programming and learned how to address research questions statistically. At DGHI, I reviewed various articles and protocols regarding clustered randomized trials and learned about statistical consideration when performing the clustered randomized trials. In addition, I am working with Professor Xiaofei Wang on a research project during the break , applying statistical methods of data integration in hybrid-controlled trials.
What are your goals after graduation/for the future?
Although I have not finalized my career path, my ultimate goal is to become an expert in clinical trial design. Also, I have come to appreciate the charm of North Carolina during my time at Duke, so I would like to stay and pursue a career here.
What do you like to do for fun or to relax after your schoolwork is caught up?
I enjoy running, hiking, spending time with friends, and binge-watching dramas.
What advice do you have for prospective or incoming students?
To prospective students, I would say you don’t need to worry about not keeping up due to a lack of statistical background, since Duke MB program will provide all the necessary resources.
To incoming students, I would advise thinking carefully about how to use your time, since two years go by very quickly.