Jessica Ybarra has lived in Arizona her entire life. She graduated Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in April 2022.
From a young age, Jessica knew that she wanted to help others, so she began volunteering at hospitals and clinics throughout the Valley to expand her professional connections and build experience within the medical field. From volunteering at Banner Estrella Medical Center to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Jessica began to see how her passion for helping others could make an impact in the world.
In August of 2022, Jessica started working at the HonorHealth Research Institute as a Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) in the Oncology Research Division. Jessica began to discover the world of research and had opportunities to meet patients who were going through their cancer journeys. As a CRC, Jessica worked alongside Research Nurses and assisted in gathering essential patient documents required for trial enrollment and was a primary contact for sponsors. Some of her day-to-day responsibilities included: scheduling patient initial/follow-up visits with providers, arrange imaging appointments for patients, and ensured that all study documents were properly filed in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system and Investigator Site File (ISF).
In May of 2023, Jessica transitioned to a Regulatory Affairs Coordinator in the Cardiovascular Research Division, where she has assisted in study startups. She is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of study files throughout the lifecycle of clinical trials.
Although Jessica no longer patient-facing, she has seen the importance of research from a regulatory perspective and finds tremendous value in her work. Jessica plans to continue expanding her regulatory knowledge and implementing Good Clinical Practice (GCP) to her studies, ensuring adherence to FDA Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and ultimately enhance sponsor engagement and partnerships.