HRPP Manager Utilized Networking in Her Career Path

Name: Melissa Smith (she/her)

PhD: Developmental Psychology, Clark University, 2006

What was your main area of research?

I studied language and cognitive development.

What is your current job?

I am the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) Manager for Phoenix Children's Hospital, and I work remotely.

I oversee my institution's Institutional Review Board (IRB).

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love that there are no publication requirements.

What is the most important skill you developed or experience you had during your PhD that now helps you in your current position?

Doing research.

How did you build the skills necessary for your current role?

I was an IRB Chair while in my faculty position (I did that for the first 12 yrs of my career) and then got an IRB staff position at an academic medical center.

I learned about biomedical research for 5 years and then moved into my current role 2 years ago.

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

I got recruited on LinkedIn.

PhD grad ➡️ tenure track faculty ➡️ tenured faculty ➡️ IRB Manager ➡️ HRPP Manager (higher level than IRB manager)

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

Connect with people in your desired field to identify a good starting position.

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

I did pursue an academic career and was successful early on. The institution moved toward requiring more publications, which wasn't what I signed up for at a teaching intensive university. I enjoyed the teaching/service path.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Connect with people who left and have been successful. Reach out on LinkedIn for informational interviews.

It can be a really hard transition, but there are so many opportunities to reframe the dissertation, teaching, public speaking, writing, etc.