Because of its findings, the study has received a lot of attention. Dufour, who was the lead author on the abstract and the subsequent paper published in Arthritis Care & Research,1 says she is “excited to see that their project has become so quickly and directly translatable to positive health outcomes.” Dr. Hannan agrees, saying, “Researchers don’t always get to see firsthand the direct effect their findings have on the public, so this project was particularly rewarding.”
Dufour says that, “Dr. Hannan is a wonderful mentor because she is genuinely interested in my career. I’m not just a short-term project or another student in her research group. She sees my success as a measure of her own and goes above and beyond to make sure that I am growing and advancing.”
Dufour, who presented a workshop at the 2008 and 2009 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meetings on statistical methods, would like to continue using her statistics background for rheumatology research, possibly focusing on bone density as a hip fracture predictor.
“My goal is to become a rheumatology health professional who combines an excellent biostatistics background with a clinical understanding to produce methodologically and analytically sound musculoskeletal research,” says Dufour.
To learn more about how you can help a promising young researcher or clinician join the world of rheumatology, visit www.rheumatology.org/REF.
