Career Choices: Novartis Clinical Trials Project Management Explained

From test tube to market can take 10 to 12 years, so Clinical Trials are complex, multi-faceted projects that require an extensive range of skills and personnel.

In this episode, Siobhán Murphy, DCU Careers Advisor is joined by Mairéad Lyons, Group Lead, Clinical Project Management and Béibhinn Ní Dhonnchadha, Graduate Associate, Clinical Operations Specialist both based in Novartis Global Services Centre, Dublin. 

Mairéad and Béibhinn explain how human clinical trials work - the typical duration of a trial, what is involved with managing clinical trials and the diversity of skills involved.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 12th May 2020.

0:06-0:54

Welcome
Introduction to Mairéad Lyons, Group Lead Clinical Project Management and Béibhinn Ní Dhonnchadha, Graduate Associate Clinical Operations Specialist both based in Novartis Global Services Centre, Dublin.

0:54 -3.48 -

From the test tube to the market it can take 10 to 12 years. However, some can be fast tracked depending on need. Project management of trials involved overseeing of vendors, data management, liaising with medical personnel and being a point of contact for a project.

3:48-6:57

Multi-tasking, time management, adaptability, flexibility, managing budgets, cope when things don’t go to plan, relationship management.

6:57-8.59

Béibhinn explains how she has shadowed trials since January and explains the leap from the theory in college to the practical side of things

8:59-10:45

Béibhinn explains both her love of Science, Art & Music and how during her time working in the Children’s museum she realised she wanted a career that was people-focused.

10:45 -12:12

Mairéad explains how she began her career as a Clinical Research Associate based on hospital sites and how that start gave her a deep understanding of the process. From there she moved to Novartis and developed her career to her current position as Group Lead.

12:12-17:08

Challenges and an interest in problem solving are key. Important to keep with the process and work consistently to keep the project on track. The collection of data, working statisticians, medical leads, working together as a team.

17:13-21:05

Mairéad explains how Novartis has teamed up with Microsoft to utilize Artificial Intelligence in their management of Clinical Trials. This is an exciting development to improve efficiency of data collections both at the hospitals and also from the wearables that patients participating in the trial could be using. This has the potential to reduce the length of time of trials, which is good for both patients and business.

21:05-23:00

Novartis is based in a number of areas around the world, with their Head Office in Basel, Switzerland. As it is an international firm, they are quite used to working in virtual teams. However, COVID has brought its own challenges with Mairead and her colleagues all now working from home. This has meant that the team has had to adapt to remote working. Travel has been cancelled but through technology, the team are managing to remain connected. As trials are based at hospitals, Covid 19 has had an impact on the trials.

23:00-26:00

Béibhinn explains the importance of embracing the change and stresses that it is a new experience for everyone. It is important to reach out, get assistance when needed and stay connected socially via virtual tea breaks and having the ‘chats’.

26:00-27:58 

Mairéad describes how Novartis uses buddies and Mentors, as well as supportive check-ins and explains how this will continue through remote working.