Intellus Fall Institute 2024 – Tom Donnelly presents “Empowering Black Women in Clinical Research”

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Authored by: Tom Donnelly

I was very fortunate to attend Intellus Worldwide’s Fall Institute in New Jersey in September and had the honour of presenting a thought-provoking paper entitled “Mentorship and Milestones: Empowering Black Women in Clinical Research”, which details the journey of black women in the clinical research field, the hurdles they face, and the life-changing impact of mentorship.

The Intellus Clear Health Communication Taskforce commissioned Research Partnership to conduct a study with Danielle Mitchell, the founder of Black Women In Clinical Research (BWICR). Partnering with Seton Hall University graduate students as part of their training, we conducted qualitative (15 teledepth interviews) and quantitative (42 20-min. surveys) research with BWICR members.

The research study, combined with our experience in the field, showed parallels in career paths for Clinical Researchers and Healthcare Marketing Researchers. In both, most people are unaware of these industry segments and there is typically no formal academic path for young professionals interested in joining these fields. Thus, many “fall into” it. But we found there are certain things that help get into the field, as well as advance in the field and these are:

  • Internships help get you into a career in these fields, and quickly get experience and understanding of the field. It may be difficult to land a first job with no experience, so internships can bridge that gap.
  • Mentors help you accelerate your career, providing a point of view from someone who has done well in the field (tips and tricks).
  • Networking provides a support system, which helps with new jobs, pay negotiations, and new clients. It continues to provide a more holistic perspective of your field. This is another way of accelerating your progress in your career.

The highlight of the presentation was hearing Danielle’s personal story of how being mentored helped her succeed, including creating her community and app Black Women In Clinical Research.

Because of the additional challenges for minorities, success with becoming a Clinical Researcher and Healthcare Marketing Researcher is even more difficult to achieve. There is rarely a role model one can follow – junior researchers infrequently see themselves mirrored in senior positions. Finding a mentor who closely resembles your background becomes crucial for navigating unique hurdles. Our study suggests that leaders and companies in both fields should ensure that 3 catalysts are in place: Internships, Mentors, and Networking opportunities. In particular, they should take the necessary steps to ensure that each of these catalysts provide inclusiveness in regards to those that are traditionally marginalized.

You can request a copy of my presentation slides. Please email info@researchpartnership.com.

More information on Inizio’s policy on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can be found here.

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