Interview with Dr. Melissa Choi
In today’s episode, Dr. Melissa Choi takes us through her career journey to a position in clinical research. She shares the motivations behind her career pivot. And she offers valuable insights into how she navigated the transition to her first nonclinical position.
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Dr. Choi is a family physician who successfully transitioned to a career in the Pharma Industry. With a background in clinical research, she now serves as a Principal Investigator (PI), leveraging her expertise and passion for medical advancements.
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Her Journey to Clinical Research
Dr. Choi embarked on a journey that led her from internships and bench research to the field of obesity medicine. As a family physician, she initially aimed to practice part-time but soon realized the challenges of solo practice and the lack of collaboration. However, her growing interest in obesity medicine sparked a change.
Driven by her desire for control and independence, Dr. Choi embarked on an entrepreneurial path. With the guidance of a business coach, she learned essential skills. These included creating a professional online presence, optimizing her LinkedIn profile, and understanding marketing strategies. These efforts eventually paid off. A recruiter noticed her updated LinkedIn profile and reached out to her about applying for her current role.
Dr. Melissa Choi’s Advice
If physicians are interested in a role like this or even another nonclinical role, I would suggest doing a reflection of what you enjoy and what you’re an expert in. Learn to market the skills and expertise you have, even if you may be frustrated with the job search. Figure out what you want to go toward, not just what you’re running away from. And ask for help.
Summary
Dr. Choi’s journey demonstrates the importance of patience, adapting to challenging circumstances, and seeking opportunities for personal growth. And she benefitted from applying entrepreneurial and marketing principles to shape her career path.
She highlights the role of LinkedIn. It served her as a:
- platform for recruiter outreach,
- place to build connections, and
- resource for conducting research.
She also noted the value of showcasing transferable skills and problem-solving abilities during interviews.
Dr. Choi provides an overview of her role as a PI in a research site. And she described her job duties:
- overseeing clinical trials,
- ensuring participant safety,
- collecting accurate data, and
- managing various tasks related to the trials.
Her proactive and enthusiastic approach contributed to her successful transition to a nonclinical pharma role.
NOTE: Look below for a transcript of today’s episode.
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