Ena Agbodza is a second-year student in the Master of Biostatistics program. Her hometown is Jackson, New Jersey. Ena earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in psychology and minored in biology.
What attracted you to the Master of Biostatistics program at Duke?
I liked that the program didn’t require students to choose a track during the application process. Before starting the program, I wasn’t sure whether to focus on clinical and translational research or biomedical data science, so I appreciated how much flexibility students have in their choices of electives. I was also excited to try living in the South for the first time and appreciated the reasonable cost of living in Durham.
What do you enjoy most about this program?
I really enjoy the collaborative environment! Professors encourage students to study together and work on homework together. All the students are enthusiastic about sharing information and helping each other so I never feel like I’m in competition with my classmates.
What are some of your favorite classes?
My favorite classes were BIOSTAT 702 and BIOSTAT 705 (Applied Biostatistical Methods I & II).
What does the program do well?
The administration and faculty are kind and supportive and this helps foster a positive community within the program. They genuinely care about students’ success and well-being and make efforts to provide opportunities, resources, and personalized support to students.
What's the most challenging aspect of the program?
Balancing school, research, and life. I finished my undergraduate degree a few years before joining the program, so it took some time for me to get back into a student mindset and find a good routine for managing my assignment deadlines.
Did you participate in a summer internship?
Yes, I participated in the Duke Data+ Program on a project analyzing Duke Health survey response rates. I also continued my work on a research project with Dr. Jesse Troy that began during the spring semester.
What type of work did you do for your internship?
My internships involved cleaning and analyzing data in R and SAS, writing statistical analysis plans and reports, and communicating results to investigators.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
Apply for all the opportunities that you’re interested in. You’re probably more qualified than you realize! Faculty and internship supervisors want to help you learn and don’t expect you to know everything.
What do you like to do outside of work?
In my free time I like to garden, read, and watch documentaries.