A collegiate football player determined to join the fitness industry as a strength and conditioning coach, In-House Clinical Research Associate (CRA) Mason Kramer had never previously considered a career in clinical research. It wasn’t until 2022, when Mason interned at Medpace, did he learn about the impact he could have on the lives of people around the world through clinical research.
During Mason’s senior year of college, he was prepared to accept an internship with a strength and conditioning facility but was stopped short by a friend participating in the Medpace internship program. Mason had set a professional goal for himself to meet before he graduated: step outside of his career comfort zone. He “wanted to gain experience in as many different fields of health sciences that [he] could before [he] ultimately made a decision after college….” Even with no prior knowledge of clinical research, the compelling introduction to clinical research left Mason confused but curious. Intrigued by possibility but lacking in experience, Mason started investigating.
The hunt for roles in clinical research started with an apprehensive scan of the Medpace careers website. After reviewing a handful of positions that didn’t land outside of Mason’s comfort zone, he found an opening for an intern in the Clinical Monitoring department. “…I decided this would be a promising and unique opportunity that I didn’t want to pass on,” Mason says. He applied for an internship as a CRA, and even though he “knew it was going to be a challenging start,” Mason was unwavering in his plan.
Mason was offered a spot in the Internship Program, and just a short time into his internship, his anxieties dissolved. During his nine-month program, Mason had the opportunity to dive into some of the different departments that make up Medpace. From this rotation, he was able to “take that knowledge into the CRA role and connect dots on why things happen in the sequence that they do.” Mason also worked through an abbreviated training program, PACE, that all Medpace CRAs complete and developed a sense of the level of expertise a typical CRA carries.
Before his internship had even come to a close, Mason had already decided on his post-college path. He finished his final semester, graduated, and returned to Medpace six months later to accept his role as an In-House CRA. Mason’s familiarity with various departments and training programs fast-tracked his transition into his full-time role. Now settled into his role, Mason reflects on the three main factors that swayed his decision to stay: a collaborative work environment where he has already “met so many great people after only a year of employment,” keeping up with best practices within trials around the world and expanding his reach to have a global impact.
“I decided this would be a promising and unique opportunity that I didn’t want to pass on.”
Nine months after accepting his full-time role, Mason discusses the one thing he has carried with him from his internship: organization. “I learned a lot during my time as an intern,” he explains. “One thing I learned that I carried into my position as a full-time CRA is how important organization is.” Between emails, deadlines, and documents, CRAs have no choice but to employ a foolproof organization system. Mason shares that he feels grateful to have met CRAs during his internship that mentored him and helped him learn to be the best CRA he can be.
Thinking about the intersection between his current role and the path from which he diverged, Mason sees considerable overlap. “I get to use my current knowledge of health science in clinical trials,” Mason notes, “while continuing to learn about new medical treatments and contribute to the advancement of medicine.” Over a year ago, his core goal – getting outside of his comfort zone – led Mason to an internship in a brand-new field. Now, Mason is changing lives for people around the globe.
Medpace careers