Anna Warner has worked for HonorHealth Research Institute for two (2) years, since March as a Clinical Trial Monitor, after doing statistical work for a health insurer.
“There was not the same feeling of satisfaction as in research. Here, it feels like I am directly making a difference every day,” said Anna, who started her career as a Research Coordinator while a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh. “I loved interacting with the people in the studies and learning about their challenges and how we could help.”
She is grateful for the opportunity to work at the Research Institute: “Today, I enjoy seeing the impact we make in people’s lives.”
Anna is proudest of her work in monitoring Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials and working on implementing an innovative monitoring strategy called “Risk Based Monitoring”, which focuses on the critical aspects of a study, patient safety and mitigating risks. This strategy allows for trials to be monitored more efficiently and leads to better, more accurate data.
“There is a collaborative approach with the entire Compliance team for monitoring and quality assurance. Working together, we strive for the highest quality and safety of a study. There are new trials on the horizon, and I am looking forward to seeing those open soon,” she said.
Asked why it is so important to encourage younger and more diverse groups to pursue a career in research, Anna said, “Diversity is important as it brings in a variety of perspectives, experiences, and ideas that can spur creativity and result in greater innovation. With a diverse workforce, medical research can better understand and respond to the unique needs of all populations.”
