What started as an unenthusiastic act to spend more time with friends soon turned into a Division 1-level commitment and lifelong passion. Clinical Research Associate and former University of Cincinnati Track & Field athlete Carmela Henning shares how she landed a role in clinical research.
Reluctant Beginnings
Growing up playing soccer, track & field was not where Carmela foresaw her athletic career taking her. She joined her middle school’s track & field team to spend more time with some friends who were on the team. She persevered, and by high school Carmela had fallen in love with the sport. So much so she pursued it into college and was offered a spot on University of Cincinnati’s track & field team.
Carmela found her stride once she hit campus. She was on track to go to medical school with her biology major, but upon completing her final mathematics requirement she discovered she wanted to incorporate additional classes into her curriculum. Carmela switched into the Engineering program which allowed her to remain engaged with her coursework while also satisfying her desire to make an impact on people through her work.
With this switch, Carmela would soon complete a total of four co-ops (cooperative education) where she traveled around the United States to gain experience at various organizations and develop her professional experience. Around this time, Carmela had also begun her MBA program. While working towards her bachelor’s, she also took classes and completed her graduate degree. “It could feel a little unmanageable at times, but I genuinely enjoyed everything I was doing so I never felt like I needed to give something up,” Carmela admits.
Bicoastal Co-Ops
Carmela completed half of her co-ops during the school year and half during the summer, all coming with their own lessons to be learned. During her first co-op, a few of her teammates turned into coworkers which created a small community for the group to travel between work and practice. This eased the transition and gave Carmela the support she needed to learn how to give 100% to both full-time athletics and a full-time co-op.
Over two summers, Carmela’s co-ops took her up to Rhode Island and out west to California. But her conditioning schedule didn’t stop at state lines; she continued her summer training so she didn’t miss a step when the fall season started up. Conquering her co-op hurdles back home, she soon discovered a new set of obstacles from her national endeavors. “I realized I took it for granted,” Carmela says. “Having my team there every day.” While she had some newfound freedom being away from home and running on her own, Carmela realized that she also had to learn to be self-sufficient. “I didn’t have my coach with me,” Carmela explains.
#MedpaceAthlete
Back at school, Carmela received an email from the University of Cincinnati’s NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) office about a potential deal with a local company called Medpace. At first, Carmela was hesitant. “It was just something I’d seen online, and I wanted to feel a connection to the company,” Carmela explains. At the time, the world of NIL deals was still unchartered territory and none of her teammates had deals, so she was curious about the sincerity of these partnerships. However, when the deal with Medpace was proposed, Carmela felt the connection through a shared hometown – Cincinnati. Given her major and career goals, she also felt this was a company at which she could see herself working.
When it came time to start her job search, Carmela wanted to remain in a patient-focused industry. Since she had a close connection to Medpace through her NIL deal, Carmela heard great things from those holding roles as Clinical Research Associates. That’s why when a job opening popped up for a CRA in the Cincinnati office, she applied right away.
Teamwork and Dreamwork
Carmela joined the team of Clinical Research Associates at Medpace’s headquarters not long after graduation. Transitioning from one dedicated team to another was simple enough. She sees many similarities between her Track & Field team and her current team of CRAs. “You have people here [at Medpace] who have been doing their jobs for a long time,” Carmela explains. “It’s kind of like having grad students and seniors on your team. They’re always giving tips, and everyone is so helpful.” Alternatively, Carmela also admires teams made up of different personalities. To Carmela, this isn’t a negative – quite the opposite. “You get to meet and work with people you didn’t necessarily expect,” Carmela says.
First Time for Everything
Joining a team, regardless of how much experience one might have, is an adjustment. Carmela was no different, grappling with an acclimation period with nearly all teams she’s joined. She struggled with being the “newbie” on her teams and sometimes getting things wrong. However, learning from failure with each new step has allowed Carmela to persevere throughout college and into her full-time role at Medpace. “I keep having to remind myself that everything I’m doing, I’m doing it for the first time,” she says. Surrounded by a team of professionals, Carmela knows the only up is through, and with their help she is confident in where her CRA career is headed.
Medpace careers