Living ICON’s Values: Sarah Samuel
At ICON, we value our hardworking teams and pride ourselves on cultivating a culture that promotes collaboration and integrity. On top of that, we aim to deliver outstanding results and value the meaningful partnerships we build with our customers. Our very own Project Manager, Sarah Samuel is a shining beacon of ICON values. In an interview, she talks to us about her 24-year-journey through the clinical research industry, 14 of which have been happily spent at ICON.
Sarah offers us a deep insight into her role, how she came to work in this field as well as practical advice to newcomers and those who are interested in working in clinical research.
Landing a role in clinical research generally begins with either a degree or postgraduate qualification in nursing, life sciences or a medical science-related subject. Sarah graduated with a BSc in biology and gained a master’s in public health with a major in epidemiology and biostatistics During this time, she co-authored numerous academic papers and many were published widely.
Sarah now focuses her attention as a project manager on key clinical research therapeutic areas including cardiovascular, endocrine disorders, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders and nervous system disorders.
Before moving into project management, she worked as a lead clinical research coordinator, a Clinical Research Associate and a Clinical Trial Manager. As a CTM for ICON, she headed up SDR and eCAT training and compliance aspects of the patient-centric monitoring that ICON had recently launched. To date, it is the largest study that she has worked on, spanning 36 countries and 66,000 patients per year. Her duty involved training workers across the board and overseeing millions of data points.
“I learned a lot during that experience. It helped me to be mindful of streamlining processes and prioritizing milestones, as well as never losing sight of the bigger picture.”
Her wide range of experiences have proven to be invaluable to her role at ICON, in alignment with her strong academic skills and clinical background which provide her with the relevant knowledge to effectively manage her role. However, Sarah finds her most valuable asset to be her empathy — for team members and patients alike. Empathy is very important for working in clinical research as you may be communicating with vulnerable people. In addition, it’s an important trait for any manager to have.
Sarah greatly believes in the importance of valuing your team as well as investing in and empowering them in order to see them succeed.
“When we live by this principle, we find the people we work with to be loyal, committed and productive.”
She believes in the value that you can teach skills but can’t teach passion, which is why a passion for the role is the driving force behind the work she does and the life she lives. As a team manager, Sarah cultivates the potential she sees in a team member by trusting them with greater responsibility in order to grow their confidence — a technique which allowed her to flourish when she was in a more junior position herself.
When asked what drives her to succeed in her career, she begins by quoting Albert Einstein: “Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living.”
Her passion stems from her desire to live a life of purpose and expresses how she, and those at ICON, benefit the world through their services:
“Clinical Research is important work because it helps find cures for countless diseases and improve the quality of life for billions of people around the world.”
For those who also wish to live a life of purpose and begin a role in clinical research, Sarah advises that you push yourself in order to continually learn —you might even surprise yourself with your capabilities. In your spare time, pick up new skills — especially ones that scare you, and spend time volunteering. Most importantly:
“Don’t be afraid to speak up — you never know what you might bring to the table.”
If you want to begin, or progress your career in clinical research, apply for a role with ICON today. As part of our core values, we take great pride in empowering our employees and watching them progress with us.
Sign up for post alerts
ICON & You
The potential of together.
Careers that improve the lives of patients, our clients and each other. Are you ready to make a difference?
View jobsRelated jobs at ICON
Salary
Location
US, Raleigh, NC
Department
Full Service - Medical Affairs & Pharmacovigilance
Location
Mexico City
Raleigh
Blue Bell
Remote Working
Hybrid: Office/Remote
Business Area
ICON Full Service & Corporate Support
Job Categories
Clinical Project Management
Job Type
Permanent
Description
Position Summary: This position is primarily responsible for managing all Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) and/or endpoint adjudication processes for a clinical trial. Job Functions/Responsibilities:•
Reference
JR125307
Expiry date
01/01/0001
Author
Michael HartleyAuthor
Michael HartleySalary
Location
Spain, Madrid
Department
Full Service - Development & Commercialisation Solutions
Location
Sofia
Bucharest
Madrid
Reading
Remote Working
Hybrid: Office/Remote
Business Area
ICON Full Service & Corporate Support
Job Categories
Clinical Project Management
Job Type
Permanent
Description
ICON's Global RWE (real world evidence) late phase project management team is looking for an experienced Project Manager to join their EU based team.What you will be doing!As a Project Manager you wil
Reference
JR126107
Expiry date
01/01/0001
Author
Rikky PethersAuthor
Rikky PethersSalary
Location
Poland, Warsaw
Department
Full Service - Development & Commercialisation Solutions
Location
Warsaw
Bucharest
Remote Working
Hybrid: Office/Remote
Business Area
ICON Full Service & Corporate Support
Job Categories
Project/ Program Management
Job Type
Permanent
Description
The Manager’s primary responsibilities are managing business growth and development of staf in their respective department. This involves the oversight of the functional team’s portfolio including res
Reference
JR125069
Expiry date
01/01/0001
Author
Lourdes Roy PratsAuthor
Lourdes Roy PratsSalary
Location
India, Chennai
Location
Chennai
Remote Working
Office Based
Business Area
ICON Full Service & Corporate Support
Job Categories
Project/ Program Management
Job Type
Permanent
Description
We are currently seeking an Analyst, Site Support to join our diverse and dynamic team. The Analyst, Site Support provides data analysis support to the feasibility team on all aspects of Investigator/
Reference
JR126278
Expiry date
01/01/0001
Author
Puja JaiswalAuthor
Puja JaiswalRelated stories
Teaser label
IndustryContent type
BlogsPublish date
12/11/2024
Summary
A Comprehensive Guide to Electronic Data Capture (EDC) Systems In the rapidly evolving landscape of clinical research, Electronic Data Capture (EDC) systems have emerged as indispensable tools, tra
Teaser label
IndustryContent type
BlogsPublish date
11/29/2024
Summary
Understanding Clinical Trials Phases: A Therapeutic Area Perspective Clinical trials represent the cornerstone of modern drug development, with each phase serving a distinct and crucial purpose in
Teaser label
IndustryContent type
BlogsPublish date
11/19/2024
Summary
Decoding Clinical Research Abbreviations: Essential Terms Explained Clinical research professionals use hundreds of abbreviations every day. Simple letters like AE mean Adverse Event, while longer
Recently viewed jobs
Impactful work. Meaningful careers. Quality rewards.
At ICON, our employees are our greatest strength. That’s why we are committed to empowering you to live your best life, both inside and outside of work. Whether your ambition is lead a global team, become a deep scientific or technical expert, work in-house with our customers or gain experience in a variety of different ICON functions, we will support you in realising your full potential. See all locations Learn more about Our Culture at ICON