From a young age I wanted to work in the field of psychology and become a forensic psychologist, partly because of my love of the TV series CSI. After learning that the reality of forensic psychology was not quite the same as it looked on TV, I decided to study Psychology and Counselling for my undergraduate degree. During my time at university, I learned the principles of research and I thoroughly enjoyed my research dissertation on young people’s attitudes to mental health.
After university I sought out opportunities in clinical psychology and clinical research. My first real exposure to clinical research was as a research assistant in the diabetes and endocrinology department at Guys’ and St Thomas’ Hospital in London. I was able to see first-hand the differences between academic and commercial research. In a short time, I learned venepuncture, how to take blood pressure measurements and how to obtain informed consent. I later took a position as a clinical trials associate in the gastrointestinal surgery department at the same hospital. This shift in therapy area increased my uncertainty about whether I wanted to continue my career in research.
After 2 years in research, I switched industries and started looking to begin my career in project management. I entered the world of management consultancy, specializing in social housing. During this time I learned the impact that good project management can have on project delivery. I supported a variety of projects from change management and process mapping to governance reviews. When I first saw the opportunity for the role of project coordinator at Oxford PharmaGenesis, I had never heard of medical communications but I was very interested to learn more about it. The company’s values also had a vital role in my decision to apply for the position. I joined Oxford PharmaGenesis remotely in April 2021, and I found starting a new job during the COVID-19 pandemic a bit daunting. However, the overall onboarding process was well thought-out and I felt like I was part of the company very early on. I am looking forward to seeing how my journey continues here at Oxford PharmaGenesis.
