If you had told me years ago that I’d be leading clinical research initiatives, training future professionals, and working to open my own research site—I wouldn’t have believed you. Like many of you, I started in the medical laboratory field, working in hematology, blood banking, coagulation, chemistry, and bacteriology. I was comfortable, but something was missing.
Then, a friend of a friend walked into my lab and changed everything. She introduced me to her job in clinical research, sparking my curiosity.
How I Made the Switch to Clinical Research
➡️ Step 1: I took a few courses to learn the basics.
➡️ Step 2: I sent my resume to my friend’s recruiter.
➡️ Step 3: I landed an interview for an In-House CRA role.
➡️ Step 4: I was hired in February 2021!
That one introduction led me to manage 50+ sites as an In-House CRA before transitioning to an Associate Project Manager (APM), where I handled SOP development, training, and clinical operations for cell and gene therapy trials.
Why I’m Opening a Clinical Research Site in a Research-Naïve Area
Fast forward to 2024, and I found myself at the SOS Conference in Tucson, Arizona. I spoke on patient recruitment and retention in underrepresented communities—something I’m deeply passionate about.
During that conference, industry leaders encouraged me: "Alisha, your area is exactly what sponsors are looking for. You should open your own site."
That conversation lit a fire in me. Now, I’m on a mission to bring clinical research to a research-naïve area, recruit diverse patients, and train new investigators. I’ve partnered with UpTrials, CRIO, and SOS Save Our Sites organization to help make this vision a reality.
What You Can Learn From My Story
1️⃣ Your network matters. My career changed because someone shared an opportunity with me.
2️⃣ You don’t need a CRA job to enter clinical research. There are multiple entry points.
3️⃣ Diversity in research starts with people like us. If you’re from an underserved community, you’re in demand.
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