My name is Kim Sam-sook who has enrolled the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science in 1994. It has been 13 years since I attended the freshmen orientation as a freshman. Now, I think the name of the department has changed and the appearance of the university has changed a lot. As I watch our university change into an advanced form, it makes me smile.

After graduating from Soongsil University, I received a master's degree in medical statistics from the Catholic University of Korea. Medical Statistics (or Biostatistics) was a newly established master's program at that time, and there were no graduates and only a small number of students majored in it. Medical statisticians (or biostatisticians) have already played an important role in clinical trials abroad, but there were very few in Korea.

To be honest, I didn't even think about what I would do after graduation at the time. Although my future was uncertain, I enjoyed studying because I was very interested in medical statistics. After graduating from graduate school, I joined a Japanese company, CMIC Co., Ltd. (Contract Research Organization: CRO), and accumulated practical experience for 5 years. I am currently working on data management and statistical consulting and analysis for clinical trials at the Asan Medical Center.

Today, the level of domestic clinical trials has also increased. Furthermore, as the number of multinational clinical trials increases, awareness and importance of the role of biostatisticians are increasing. Therefore, there is a growing need for experienced biostaticians in CROs and pharmaceutical companies, and at least one biostatician is currently employed in major pharmaceutical companies.

Lastly, I think clinical trials are a very promising field because new and diverse research methods are constantly being developed.