We celebrate Nurses Week by highlighting five Medpace employees who transitioned from traditional bedside nursing to careers in clinical research. Hear from associates around the world as they discuss the significance of Nurses Week, give advice to young professionals, and more.
Barbara Goppert, Regulatory Submissions Coordinator, France
What drew you to clinical research as a nurse?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I worked as a nurse in an elderly care home. We were amongst the first in France to receive COVID vaccinations and were asked to monitor patients as part of ongoing clinical research. Not only did I discover the structure of clinical trials, but I also became intrigued on how groundbreaking technology could help society as a whole. This fascination, along with a new and exciting challenge, led me to do a course in Clinical Trials. And the rest is history!
How does your nursing experience affect your current role at Medpace?
Having 20 years of nursing experience in various countries, I believe that my acquired skills are very useful when adapting Informed Consent Forms, for example. I have extensive insight into what language patients are most likely to understand (and not understand) and I love how I’m continuing to advocate for patients’ wellbeing. Having worked in multi-disciplinary teams, I enjoy staying in touch with staff at medical sites, resulting in sometimes chatty conversations (not complaining!) and smoother collaboration.
What impact do nurses have in the clinical research industry?
I believe nurses play an important role in the clinical research industry as they bring hands-on experience to the table regarding patient care. They know that on the other side of Protocols and Investigational Products lies a human being.
Being used to working in large teams, nurses are great communicators and can handle pressure in an often fast-paced environment. These qualities, in my eyes, make nurses invaluable contributors to the clinical research industry.
Katarzyna Czepiela, Clinical Research Associate, Sweden
What would you say to the next generation of nurses looking to explore careers in clinical research?
To the next generation of nurses considering careers in clinical research: “Take the leap!” The clinical research industry offers vast opportunities for growth and development. While research might seem daunting at first glance, it’s so much more than just writing reports, sitting at your desk, or working in a lab. Embrace the chance to make a difference in patients’ lives through groundbreaking research. Despite initial doubts, you may find, like me, that clinical research opens doors to fulfilling and impactful career paths you never imagined.
What impact do nurses have in the clinical research industry?
I would like to give a big shout out to all nurses working in the clinical research as I think they play an essential role in the industry. Their role goes so much beyond conducting study visits. They bring a unique blend of medical expertise, patient care, and attention to details. Nurses working onsite are often patients’ primary contact, and they are the ones who spend most time around patients and provide patients with support and guidance throughout the study. As the nurses often spend most of time with patients, they are the first to identify adverse events and notify investigators to take appropriate actions as per protocol guidelines. Not to mention many nurses’ contributions span across multiple domains within Clinical Research such as medical surveillance, data analysis, site monitoring, and protocol development.
How does your nursing experience affect your current role at Medpace?
I quit my job as nurse anesthetist in June 2023. I think after COVID, many nurses started experiencing burnout and a never-ending workload. I felt like I needed a change in my career, but I still wanted to be able to use my skills and have a meaningful job. In July 2023, I started my career as an entry level CRA. I believe that my firsthand experience in direct patient care enables me to empathize with the challenges that sites might encounter during clinical trials. I spent several years as a travel nurse working in various clinics, so I am familiar with working and navigating different eHR. It has also given me a deeper understanding how healthcare resources might work in different hospitals. I strongly believe that my clinical background gives me an edge when it comes to reviewing medical history, concomitant medication, and finding other relevant information.
Rachel Ellison, Clinical Trial Manager, United States
What drew you to clinical research as a nurse?
As a clinical nurse, I appreciated trialing new medical devices and providing feedback to biotech companies. While working as a nurse leader, I enjoyed project management and presenting how changes impacted the cost and efficiency of patient care. Clinical Trial Management/Clinical Research is an attractive career because nurses have the opportunity to impact population health in a fast-paced environment.
After 10 years working in the hospital, I had reached the top of my career ladder. I have more advancement opportunities at Medpace and the ability to work in multiple therapeutic areas.
How does your nursing experience affect your current role at Medpace?
I have experience leading an interdisciplinary group working on projects with team members from various career backgrounds. I also bring a lot of clinical insight into the role; I can visualize how protocols will be implemented within a clinical setting. I am comfortable communicating with physicians and discussing diseases processes and procedures.
What would you say to the next generation of nurses looking to explore careers in clinical research?
You will be a lifelong learner if you choose a career in clinical research, helping develop the future of clinical practice. This is a challenging career that requires forward thinking.
Yanping Liang, Data Coordinator, Japan
What drew you to clinical research as a nurse?
My grandfather passed away because of cancer when I was in junior school. I was so young and could not do anything for him, so I decided to become a nurse who can fight against illnesses with and for patients.
How does your nursing experience affect your current role at Medpace?
Thanks to my three years of nursing experience, I can understand how important it is for patients to have access to treatment and medicine, and I realized that the positions of CROs and pharmaceutical companies are quite significant. As a Data Coordinator, this job is so meaningful. Because of our efforts, many patients may receive effective treatment in the future.
What does Nurses Week mean to you?
Nurses Week is a particularly noteworthy occasion for me. When I was a nurse, I really wanted to do something for nurses or patients during Nurses Week. That’s why I’m so eager to participate in this Nurse Week. I want to let more nurses and patients know we are fighting side by side, each in our own roles, against illnesses.
Jen Heminger, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, United States
What drew you to clinical research as a nurse?
The post-COVID landscape of healthcare changed dramatically from when I initially completed my nursing and advanced nursing degrees. I knew change was needed, but I didn’t want to give up touching the lives of my patients. Clinical research was the marriage between these competing needs. One of my very first impressions of Medpace was the obvious value of nurses within the organization, with a number of senior and tenured employees having backgrounds in nursing. And while nursing can sometimes feel like a thankless job where you are overlooked by patients and sadly even by other members of the healthcare team, that has never been the culture here.
How does your nursing experience affect your current role at Medpace?
My nursing experience has been invaluable to my role here at Medpace. As an Advanced Clinical Practitioner, I provide an additional layer of clinical expertise that offers a unique perspective from that of the medical monitors who I work closely with, ultimately resulting in an even stronger medical team. I have a firsthand understanding of the patient experience and the challenges patients undergo as they move through the study.
What do you wish current and/or future nurses knew about working in clinical research?
It may sound silly, but one of the common things I hear from former colleagues when discussing my role is that it would be too boring for them. I always laugh and assure them this job is anything but boring. We are working on novel medical therapies and devices that can, will, and are changing the world.
What would you say to the next generation of nurses looking to explore careers in clinical research?
Don’t be afraid to go for it. Another common theme I hear from past coworkers who are looking for change but don’t know what that change would look like is that they wouldn’t be good at it because they have never done research. Medpace has been incredibly supportive of the transition from clinical practice to industry and truthfully, I have learned just as much working in research as I did in clinical practice and broadened my experience with an entirely new set of skills.
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