How do you describe your job when you meet people at a party?
Medical research project manager e.g. testing new drugs
What is ‘cutting-edge’ about your work?
Working to bring cutting edge expertise to Barbados, particularly in terms of research governance and Good Clinical Practice. Providing a range of local researchers with the skills to conduct competitive relevant research is key to this process
What are the biggest implications your work will/could have in the future?
Short-term - the project finishes on time and within budget. Long-term - who knows…..I would hope that as a result of my work more individuals will be able to submit successful grant applications and be able to produce reliable research output
Describe some of the highlights of your average day.
No such thing as an average day. Activities can range from meetings with senior government officials to helping new researchers write grant proposals. I also enjoy the fact that I work on projects in different areas.
Describe briefly how your career has progressed to date.
Until 2005 career path was typical I finished my PhD and continued to a postdoctoral fellowship. After that I concentrated on clinical trials co-ordination, working my way up to high level management of several trials. In 2005, I provided project management support for a range of projects in Tanzania. This experience convinced me to remain overseas. I relocated to the Caribbean and have not looked back
How is your job cross-disciplinary?
Due to the nature of project management the job has to be cross-disciplinary. However, on a project basis the range of disciplines can vary. One project involves, a doctor, social scientist a nutritionist and some gardeners!
How well is your job compensated? What is the starting salary for your field, and how much can this be expected to rise?
How do you see your field developing over the next 5-10 years?
Both project management of clinical research and intervention studies are in their infancy in the Caribbean and it is too early to tell. This is a challenge but also an opportunity to establish a rigorous and efficient regulatory framework, learning from the lessons of other countries
What’s the most unexpected thing about your job?
The range of project subject areas just keeps growing
What’s the biggest achievement of your career so far?
Establishing my own company in the Caribbean