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After completing her two-year post at the Anne Rowling Clinic, Chloe Parker is taking the next step in her clinical research career as a Rowling Clinical Research Associate.
Since 2016, the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic has supported graduates at the start of their careers through its Graduate Research Practitioner scheme, initially established as the Rowling Interns scheme. What began as a one-year post has since developed into a two-year opportunity, providing graduates with valuable experience in clinical research and helping them take their next steps towards a career in research, healthcare or further study.
For Chloe, the Graduate Research Practitioner post has been an opportunity to gain valuable experience, develop new skills and contribute to research that aims to improve the lives of people living with neurological conditions.
We caught up with Chloe as she completed her two-year post to reflect on her experience at the Clinic, the skills she has developed and her plans for the future. Chloe is now embarking on the next stage of her career as a Rowling Clinical Research Associate in the MND-SMART Trial Management Team. Alongside her new role, she is beginning a two-year, part-time, distance-learning MSc in Clinical Trials at University College London (UCL).
Firstly, congratulations on successfully completing your Rowling Graduate post!
What has been your biggest achievement or learning experience during the programme?
One of the most valuable parts of the programme has been building on my previous experience in trial coordination and gaining a much more patient-facing perspective on research. Before the programme, my previous role in research was largely administrative and operational, so having the opportunity to meet patients with different conditions and see the impact research can have on their lives has been a really rewarding experience.
You’ve now moved into a new role within the Trial Management Team. What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
I’m looking forward to being more involved in the day-to-day management of a large-scale clinical trial and gaining a better understanding of how decisions made at the trial management level affect patients’ experiences in the Clinic. I’ll also continue spending one day a week in Clinic, which will be a great opportunity to see how these decisions translate into practice.
How do you think your experience as a Rowling Graduate has prepared you for this next step in your career?
My experience has given me first-hand insight into the practical realities of delivering clinical trials at site level, including the operational and regulatory considerations involved and how these affect both patients and research teams. I hope to draw on this experience in my new role, bringing an understanding of day-to-day trial delivery and a patient-centred perspective to inform decisions around trial coordination and design.
You’ve also been accepted onto an MSc — congratulations! What motivated you to take this next step in your education?
Working on clinical trials has made me increasingly interested in how they are designed and how we can make them more efficient and effective for patients. In particular, working on MND-SMART, an innovative platform trial, has exposed me to novel approaches to trial design and sparked my interest in the methodology behind them. The MSc feels like a natural next step, allowing me to build on my practical experience and develop my knowledge further.
How do you see your MSc complementing your new role within Trial Management?
I’m hoping the MSc will help me take a more active role in discussions and decision-making within the trial management team. By developing my understanding of trial methodology, I hope to contribute more confidently to considering different approaches and how they might work in practice. I’m particularly interested in how we can balance scientific innovation with efficient trial delivery and a positive experience for patients, and apply what I learn directly to my role within MND-SMART.
Looking ahead, what are you hoping to achieve over the next couple of years, both professionally and academically?
Over the next couple of years, I hope to continue developing my experience across both trial management and patient-facing research, while getting involved in new studies in the Clinic as they open. Alongside this, I’m looking forward to building my expertise through the MSc and applying what I learn directly to my work within the MND-SMART trial management team.
We wish Chloe the very best of luck on her future career.
Relevant links
Read more about the Rowling Graduate Research Practitioner scheme [link to graduate page]
Find out more about MND-SMART: MND-SMART website
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