To accomplish a task like re-imagining medicine, you need one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies and a university at the forefront of health sciences education.
So, Regis College has partnered with Novartis in their novel academy program that offers an experiential and rigorous learning opportunity for those interested in a career in clinical research operations and supporting the development of therapeutic care.
“We are excited to have this unique partnership with a major biomedical company,” said Regis College Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Mary Erina Driscoll. “Through development of this program we recognized the highly structured work Novartis is doing can be used as active clinical credits in our courses.”
The two-year academy will start in January 2022 with a cohort of eight fellows. It will include hands-on learning with Novartis’ clinical research operations – including many functions that support studies ranging from neuroscience to cardiovascular disease to liver disease – as well as courses at Regis that will culminate in the fellows receiving a certificate in clinical research management.
The fellows will have also completed more than half of the number of credits required toward a master’s in regulatory and clinical research management at Regis.
“There are so many biotech firms just in Massachusetts and the number of people with clinical research work is in high demand,” said Laura Burke, dean of the School of Health Sciences. “It is really a fantastic opportunity. The experience at Novartis will put these fellows in a position to grow in the clinical research field.”
Spots in the academy are meant for those with interest in clinical research operations but have little or no experience in the area. The program was developed so those who meet the application requirements and are selected, whether a recent graduate, returning from a career break or a mid-career changer, can learn and succeed.
In the first year of the academy, the fellows will take on the role of a study operations manager, shadow Novartis clinical research employees, and over time be given more tasks and responsibilities that will make them integral parts of the study teams.
“We will also give them opportunities to explore the aspects of clinical research they are most interested in,” said Geraldine Brucelle, study operations lead at Novartis. “So if they want to become a clinical trial lead, or are more interested in data sciences, or clinical finances, they can spend more time on one area or the other as they progress through the program.”
