CLINICAL OPERATIONS & OUTSOURCING
the skills needed to work within the clinical trials arena, but many things cannot be taught (e.g. work ethic, integrity). Sometimes, it is best to take a chance on someone that has a strong work ethic and take the extra time to teach the skills necessary for the role.
• For instance, Carrie’s first job in pharma came after just one year of experience as a study coordinator in academia for investigator-initiated studies. While she had research experience, she had zero pharma experience. She had a lot to learn, but the company gave her a chance.
• Deanna’s first job came after four years out of college with zero experience in Clinical Research and working in a different field of Psychology. A Clinical Research Organization (CRO) was willing to hire her based on her questions and eagerness in her interview and demonstration of her achievements and quick progression in her previous short-lived career
• Rosie’s first job came from a contact that was in the industry that she knew. She didn’t even know what clinical research was except for hearing ads on the radio and participating in a Phase 1 clinical trial in college for some extra money. However, a CRO was understanding that you need to gain experience by starting somewhere and were willing to teach fundamentals as that is the easy part because what you can’t teach is what is critical for an employee to exhibit.
It is wonderful to explore the dynamics of talent selection, and sometimes the best candidates do not fit the traditional mold. We can provide several examples of inspiring stories about successful hires because of our willingness to explore unconventional pathways.
Clinical Research Associate (CRA) bridge program Over a year ago Endo participated in a CRA Bridge program with a preferred vendor. Currently Endo has four bridge CRAs. The CRAs completed a robust training program that culminated in a test to assess knowledge prior to achieving CRA qualification. The CRAs also participated in observational visits where they
20 | Outsourcing in Clinical Trials Handbook
It is wonderful to explore the dynamics of talent selection, and sometimes the best candidates do not fit the traditional mold
were evaluated by task, not just by visit. Endo’s bridge CRAs have been incredibly successful, and their integration into the teams has been seamless. Outsiders would not even realize they are bridge CRAs.
Junior Clinical Trial Associate (CTA) with no industry experience: Endo has contracted three Junior CTAs in the past two years. One Junior CTA worked in a completely different industry with no prior pharma or research experience. Despite a transition between industries, she immersed herself in the tasks of a new role and contributed to a Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) integration with ease. Her technical skills were impressive, and she quickly became one of our Veeva CTMS subject matter experts (SMEs). Her strong work ethic, which cannot be taught, made her an invaluable team member.
Overqualified site director: We also contracted a site director with 18 years of experience as a CTA. Although she was overqualified for the role, her personality and fit with the company were exceptional. Interestingly, she had been striving to break into the industry for years without success. One year later, we consider ourselves fortunate to have her on board. We were looking for a site relationship manager, and she was the perfect candidate!
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