Favorite Parts of Working in the Clinical Research Industry as a Senior Clinical Trial Coordinator
Cindy, a Senior Clinical Trial Coordinator, finds the most rewarding aspect of her career in oncology clinical research is the strong sense of community among colleagues who share a common goal of alleviating suffering; this "really interesting...niche field" fosters connections with like-minded individuals, creating a supportive network where "it is nice to know that there are other people out there" working towards the same impactful objective.
Teamwork, Communication, Motivation, Overcoming Challenges, Community
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Cindy Tong
Sr. Clinical Trial Coordinator
UCLA Health, Hematology/Oncology
UCLA, 2017
UCLA FEMBA 2026
Biology & Related Sciences
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Research and Development (R&D)
Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Working in a niche field with like-minded individuals.
2. Contributing to a common goal of improving human lives.
3. Networking opportunities within the industry and across different institutions (e.g., UCLA, Cedars-Sinai).
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
I feel like I'm in a really interesting position. Even though cancer is super prevalent, clinical research in cancer is kind of a niche field. It's one of those things that if you get it, you get it.
I think I really enjoy talking to like-minded people, those who share similar values and goals. Not necessarily the same career aspirations, but just having motivation or a framework for contributing to the overall goal of helping human beings suffer less.
Ultimately, I think the people are what I enjoy the most. It's strange to say, but it's like a community. It's almost like you're sharing in this traumatic space together.
It is nice to know that there are other people out there. Even in Los Angeles, I work at UCLA, but there's also Cedar-Sinai, City of Hope, and Kaiser. I've had friends and former colleagues rotate around the field. It's interesting to hear different perspectives, but ultimately, we're all under the same umbrella of motivation.