Margo Bowers, Project Coordinator
At Medpace, clinical research is our bread and butter. It’s what we do. But how do we keep trials moving forward, coordinate with patients and research sites, communicate with the public, and do other essential duties as a full-service Clinical Research Organization? That’s where our Clinical Trial Management roles come in. In the first edition of our Monthly Role Spotlight, we are highlighting our Project Coordinator role. Professionals with a variety of backgrounds are crucial to our success, so stay tuned for monthly spotlights as we showcase different roles throughout our organization, talk to employees who hold them, and discuss how you can find your fit at Medpace.
This month, we spoke with Project Coordinator Margo Bowers about her role on our Clinical Operations team. Margo started with Medpace as an intern and quickly found her niche as a Project Coordinator. Follow along with Margo as she recounts her journey at Medpace and gain personal insight into the role as seen through Margo’s experience.
Tell me about your path to Medpace.
I first started with Medpace as a Regulatory Submissions intern in Summer 2021, and in Fall 2024 I returned in a full-time role as a Clinical Research Project Coordinator.
Describe your role.
My role as a Project Coordinator (PC) is housed under our Clinical Trial Management department, so my responsibilities are to support the entire study team! Mainly, this means to assist our Clinical Trial Managers with project-specific tasks such as overseeing the Trial Master File, site study supply distribution, feasibility of sites interested in joining our study, and distributing meeting invitations and their subsequent materials. However, being a PC in Clinical Trial Management also requires a level of insight and support to the rest of our functional areas as well as to our sponsor and sites. Clinical research is complex, and study teams include a diverse group of professionals with different educational backgrounds and interests, so Project Coordinators are extremely helpful in ensuring study tasks and timelines stay on course and ultimately ensure the study is running appropriately under regulatory authority guidelines.
Why did you pursue this role?
My educational background is in public health/epidemiology, so I was hopeful that my first full-time role in the research world would be in a position where I could immerse myself in learning all the different ways someone can contribute to clinical research. The burden of chronic disease is rising both nationally and worldwide, making innovations in healthcare research that much more important. Being a Project Coordinator, I have gained first-hand experience working on studies for investigational products targeted on heart failure, obesity, and more that could influence the way we treat or prevent chronic disease for years to come.
What drew you back to Medpace after the conclusion of your internship?
After my internship, I would recommend Medpace to my Cincinnati-native friends and how it seemed like a great opportunity for new grads/early professionals. The mentors and coworkers I met as an intern were always open to having conversations on what they had learned through their professional experiences, so I had no doubt that the team I would be joining as a PC would mirror that same friendliness and openness to discuss how to grow into a fitting career. I mean, one of my managers as an intern even offered to be a reference when I was applying to graduate school!
Sure enough, though, I have made plenty of friends here during these last few months, many of whom are also early in their careers, and it’s been great to learn from each other and to be connected through a shared interest in research.
What is one skill you’ve developed and/or honed during your tenure and what is one new skill you’ve learned?
As a PC, my tasks often fluctuate day-to-day because they arise as each study progresses. Because of this, I feel that my problem-solving skills have improved through learning the distinction between a task I can complete on my own versus a task I should ask for assistance on. Looking at the task at hand and not being afraid to ask for assistance from other functional areas, fellow PCs, or the Clinical Trial Managers if needed has been a great resource in resolving any queries that arise from sponsor or a site. If you’re reading this and you have graciously helped me with a study task in the past, thanks again!
Along the same lines, a new skill I’ve learned is how to communicate effectively in a professional setting. While this skill will never be perfect, a part of growing into a full-time role is learning how to be confident in your abilities. I still remember the first time I distributed routine teleconference materials to both the internal Medpace team and to our sponsor. I probably reread and checked everything about that email ten times! Now I feel more comfortable communicating with my peers, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be sharing my experience.
Why should someone consider a path as a Project Coordinator at Medpace?
The health sciences world is vast, and it can be difficult to find and kickstart a career in a field you may enjoy. If this sounds like you, because it certainly sounded like me, I think considering the PC role could be a great start. You’re able to gain exposure to all the different jobs involved in carrying out a clinical trial and get to meet coworkers along the way who can help you determine what a career in clinical research might look for you.
In your own words, what are three key job responsibilities?
Collaborating across internal and external teams to achieve short-term and long-term study goals, ensuring sites are always adhering to the study guidelines and assist them on any questions they have, and maintaining the organization of study materials through ClinTrak, SharePoint, Trial Master File, etc.
Ready to join?
Can you see yourself as a Project Coordinator? Want to learn more? Medpace is currently seeking exceptional candidates to step into our Project Coordinator role. Find your niche at Medpace and support global clinical trials to bring life-saving drugs people around the world. Visit the link below to apply today.
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