On Her Way to a Clinical Trial Manager Role

Health care is at the center of Amna Yousuf’s career. Supporting that desire—at every stage of her journey—is a commitment to education. It began by earning a bachelor’s in medicine at Jinnah Sindh Medical University in her native Pakistan, followed by clinical training at the hospital affiliated with her university, all focused on internal medicine and oncology.

A year later, in 2021,after a move to the United States, Amna found herself at a crossroads.

“I was contemplating whether I wanted to pursue medicine here while trying to settle in a new country and a new life,” Amna reflects. “That’s when I started to look into other viable career options. Luckily, I was introduced to clinical research by a family friend who went through a similar dilemma when immigrating to the U.S.”

Continuing to follow her guideposts around health care and education, Amna began to search for programs that would not only give her the training and general knowledge in the field, but also get her foot in the door. And our Certificate Program in Clinical Research Conduct and Management did just that—less than six months after starting the classes, Amna landed a clinical research associate (CRA) role at Premier Research.

“I’m interested in clinical research because it directly impacts patients' lives,” Amna says of her decision to pursue this field. “It’s so innovative and there is always something new to explore in the industry. I really valued the fact that I was able to leverage my prior education despite it being a completely new field for me. I chose this certificate because it has received stellar reviews online, which strongly motivated me to register and I am very glad that I did so.”

I would say that I was able to land my first clinical research job within a few months of starting the first course because of her guidance!

That’s fantastic! What was your experience like going through the classes?

My classes all took place online, and we had roughly 10 students in our cohort. Instructors would typically ask us to keep our video on so it could be more interactive. We had weekly lectures and were provided access to video lectures and notes to further prepare for our classes. That was extremely helpful as most of the information was new to me but I never felt that it was too difficult to follow. Curriculum and lectures were designed to be very intuitive.

Looking back at the curriculum, it was very well-curated because it helped me with most of my duties when I started working as a CRA.

Fellow students were friendly and collaborative, and we still have an ongoing WhatsApp group where we chat from time to time. We had to make a presentation on protocol design in our final course, which was really helpful for our understanding of the concepts.

Our instructor encouraged me to apply to jobs and guided me during the interview process. I would say that I was able to land my first clinical research job within a few months of starting the first course because of her guidance!

The online format was more convenient for me, because I was able to attend all of the classes even while traveling for work. My experience with online classes has been very positive. They didn’t compromise on the quality of the lectures all while maintaining the convenience of joining in from different time zones.

I love working as a CRA because the role allows me to wear multiple hats.

You landed your first role in clinical research shortly after beginning the coursework. How did the classes, at that point, prepare you for this role? 

The course material really helped me gauge what to expect from the interview process and familiarized me with clinical research fundamentals. Even during the initial onboarding trainings, it felt like I knew the role already as I had learned the basics of clinical research during our lectures. I think the course helped me to get a job and to best perform those duties.

Since then, you’ve moved on to ICON as a CRA II in oncology. 

I perform site monitoring, IP reconciliation, documents submissions and vendor management. My role is as the first point of contact for the site for any questions or issues and encompasses all aspects of site management.

My job is to essentially ensure that the site is well prepared for audits and inspections. I also coordinate with investigators and site workers to ensure that the protocol is being adhered to while checking for protocol deviations and ensure subject safety by reviewing AE/SAE throughout the course of the study.

I love working as a CRA because the role allows me to wear multiple hats. I get to dive into safety reporting, document review and submission, project management, and working with diverse teams and vendors.

I was able to acquire the necessary skills, prepare for interviews and start working as a CRA

What does earning this certificate mean to you? 

The certificate gave me the confidence to apply for jobs. I was able to acquire the necessary skills, prepare for interviews and start working as a CRA. I was able to get my foot in the door and meet new people who were in a similar situation.

The classes also provided us with an environment in which we could learn and ask questions uninhibitedly. Most of my cohort were able to find jobs after completing this certificate.

What advice would you give to a student who is starting the certificate?

Trust the process. The courses are very solid and will definitely help you professionally if you’re attentive during lectures and in reviewing the material.

Don’t be scared to reach out to your instructors. They are very welcoming and will try to guide you. Stay focused and resilient throughout the duration of the course, and your hard work will pay off.