Day 26 of 30 Days of MD: Career in Biostatistics

Written by Ralph Yaniz |

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Day 26 of #30daysofMD Andrea Lane and a Career In Biostatistics One advantage of being diagnosed with LGMD at age 11, as opposed to later in life, is that I had time to plan. When it came time to make big decisions about higher education and my career, I already knew I had to consider my disability. I decided to pursue a PhD in biostatistics for three reasons, two of which are disability-related: (1) the field combines my interests in math and public health, (2) career opportunities are flexible and often lucrative enough to ensure independence (having a disability is an expensive adventure), and (3) biostatistics jobs are nearly always sedentary. Pursuing higher education has shaped many areas of my life (finances, social, etc.) and led to several enriching opportunities. The SSA Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program has allowed me to be financially independent as a graduate student. I have traveled to various conferences across the country (for free!) specifically for underrepresented minorities and students with disabilities in my field. I recently joined AccessComputing, an organization that provides a network of students, professionals, and academics with disabilities in computer science or related fields. AccessComputing provides resources including a scholarship database, conference funding, internship assistance, and professional development. Knowing that organizations like this exist give me so much hope that scientific fields will continue to become more diverse and inclusive for those of us with disabilities.

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About the Author

Ralph Yaniz Ralph served as the executive director of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology Foundation in 2016, helping to establish the organization and begin serving the community. Prior to that he worked for AARP, where he was a regional vice president for a decade and, prior to that, the Illinois State Director for four years. In his capacity as the Illinois State Director, Ralph led AARP Illinois in major legislative victories between 2002 and 2006, including the Older Adult Services Act in 2004. Before going to AARP, Ralph was executive director of the Berwyn Cicero Council on Aging. The mission of the organization is to assist adults over 60 in maintaining their independent living with the highest quality of life. He holds BS and MA degrees in psychology from Loyola University of Chicago and worked as a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois for three decades. He also holds an MBA degree from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Ralph has served on numerous boards for nonprofit organizations and in 2018 founded the LGMD2L Foundation to help look for treatments and cures for his form of muscular dystrophy.

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30 days of MD MD awareness month


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