grfpishard

Hello Expresso, Well, a bit of background before I give you an answer. I worked for a company called Perrigo (biggest US domestic producer of generic medicines...you've seen equate brand in wal mart im sure) in a lowly tech position right after undergrad. Job-shadowed RA people and did some method validation work in QC, as well as get on a project where the company was trying to submit an ANDA to get the 180-day exclusivity rights for selling the generic product (first filer that is approved gets the rights). Really enjoyed the project, but as you have noticed pretty much everyone who leads in RA has a PhD in a hard life science, or a pharmD, or even MD's. The idea that RA people work up the ladder vocationally seemed very dead from my experience though I recall one guy who moved from R&D laterally into RA, however I was not there long enough to know if he moved up the ladder. Took a short stint a pfizer before heading to grad school and the climate seemed the same there...decent amount of RA hiring, but from people with the qualifications I mentioned in the last sentence. That all said, TOPRA and RACS have certifications that are probably worth your while to get during you last year of PhD school. This would show hiring entities that you are proactive, and salary negotiating would certainly be easier if you can talk the talk, which is what getting the certifications should be about. Lastly, there are RA chapters that meet to discuss all things RA. A quick google search will point you in a good direction. This is also the easiest way to network and up to date feedback from RA pro's covering a large variety of drug and biomedical device products. There is a barrier to entry, but given that all govt.'s regulate drugs and biomed devices its a career option that is good for the long term IMHO. Hope my answer helps you in some way.

E/E, E/E, VG/E was awarded honorable mention last year, and this year as a 2nd year grad student (life science type of guy). Got similar reviews last year, both years all praise with nothing really to work on. I'm a bit jaded about it, but really this is a foreshadow of inevitably what competitive grant writing will be like. Thus, I am gearing/tooling up for a career in regulatory affairs post-phd rather than trying to compete for what little money is available to do science. For those that care to know, 1 first author pub in jchem ed (low impact factor journal) as an undergrad, 1st author pub in grad school (journal of molecular biology), and just got reviewer comments back on a PNAS submission (I think I can address the comments and have them accept it). Come from an industry background, 1 patent from a large pharmaceutical company. Did lots of science literacy work through undergrad up until present (reviewers eat science literacy work up at all levels for those that still have opportunities to apply). Also was first generation college student, grew up poor in an atypical family setting, disadvantaged status (financially growing up), but not a minority (disadvantaged status has not really ever helped me win any fellowships...it almost seems like a disclaimer to the funding entity that you are different but not in a good way). My last few chances are NDSEG and HHMI Gilliam. Wish me luck guys, I certainly am pulling for all of you wherever you land on the list. Good luck, and great science