I am a Microbiologist from Mali. I wanted to be a CR professional when I understood the beneficial impact CR has on patients’ lives. I wanted to contribute towards health research as a whole.
The onboarding day gave us the opportunity to meet Marieme Ba, Pharmalys’ CEO who welcomed us and delivered an overall presentation of the PACE curriculum.
The code of conduct was clearly defined, requiring 100% availability, punctuality, assiduity, politeness, kindness, flexibility, respect of confidentiality, and being solution-oriented – which I now realise is crucial in the work place.
The PACE programme is 100% live, online and delivered in English. The 3-month theoretical part covers every domains we have to know to fully understand what CR is, from clinical operations to data management; from ICH-GCP to medical writing. This part was very rich and intense. I appreciated very much that the instructors systematically provided us with exercises, quizzes, real case scenarios to work on. It helped me very much to fix the knowledge.
The instructors were all very experienced in their specialities, business-oriented, and highly familiarised with training and education.
An additional factor that helped me progress successfully in the PACE course was the mentorship programme. Mentors were experienced Pharmalys team members whom we would meet on a regular basis.
These meetings allowed me to ask questions and talk about my concerns, failures or successes to my mentor. He provided me with a lot of advice and tips that have all been very useful to me up to now!
The PACE programme is not only a programme that focuses on CR, it helps learners apprehending the professional environment. Through the soft skills training, we learned how to collaborate and communicate at best with our colleagues, how to prioritise tasks, and manage time. I learned a lot, and a few months after these classes, I can feel how impactful they have been on my professional behaviour.
I passed the 3 assessments of the first PACE part and celebrated my achievement before starting my 6-month internship at Pharmalys.
I was happy to have the opportunity to combine office and field work as a junior CR professional. I had numerous opportunities to participate in on-site visits with my mentor and other members of the Pharmalys team.
It was a very exciting, enriching and challenging part of the PACE programme, as it was time to apply ‘in real life’ what I had learned! I reported all these experiences in my internship memoir, which was the last assessment to undertake before the diploma.
I am proud to be a PACE graduate!
During my Graduation Ceremony in Dakar, Senegal, in March 2024, I was honored to receive my school diploma with the mention of ‘With Highest Honour.’ My performance and results impressed the Pharmalys Human Resources Department, leading to an offer for a permanent position as a Junior C.R.A. This role has provided me with unique and stimulating opportunities, including several international monitoring missions.
My first mission took me to Benin, where I assessed research compliance and verified the quality of data collected on site. This experience taught me how to manage local challenges and collaborate with dedicated teams to ensure the smooth progress of clinical studies.
I then worked in Gabon, where I deepened my understanding of research protocols in a different context. This mission gave me valuable insight into the intercultural aspects of clinical research and strengthened my skills in managing international projects.
One of the highlights of my journey was my first initiation visit for a new vaccine project in Mali. This mission was a true challenge for me, as it was my first experience in this type of role. The responsibility of setting up an innovative and crucial public health project was both exciting and daunting. I navigated complex aspects of project initiation, including coordinating with local teams, establishing procedures, and managing stakeholder expectations.
This challenge helped me develop my clinical project management skills and boosted my confidence. I learned to handle unexpected situations with flexibility and ensure that all project phases were properly executed while adhering to ethical and regulatory requirements.
‘Every challenge is a disguised opportunity, revealing hidden strengths and opening new horizons.’
These varied experiences have been incredibly enriching, enabling me to grow both professionally and personally.
Now, after only a few months in the field, management thinks I am ready to be promoted to a C.R.A. position. I am excited about continuing to evolve in this fascinating field, bringing my passion and commitment to each new mission.
Tiemoko’s story continues …
‘Big Bravo to the VAC094 team who performed the SIV at MRTC Mali! Mamadou S D and Tiemoko really stood out with their hard work. And a big thanks also to Nogaye M., Nogaye G., Edem, Cinthia, Fatou, and Myriam for their amazing teamwork. Thanks to Sokhna too for being so flexible. Well done everyone!’
Marieme Ba, CEO of Pharmalys Ltd