Alumni Spotlight: Kimberly Wanick, Master’s in Drug Development Graduate

UC MSDD Alumni Working in Quality Assurance

Kimberly Wanick is an Executive Director, Compliance, and Quality Research Associate at Advanced Clinical, a Contract Research Organization where she oversees the Compliance and Quality Department which includes the oversight of Quality Management Systems and Quality Services and Validation Services.

UC Online recently talked with Kimberly about her career and experience at the University of Cincinnati and the Drug Development Programs. She provided her perspective on why she chose the program and how it helped her in her career.

Q: What motivated you to seek your MS?

My employer at the time, Kendle International, had a strong affiliation with UC and was offering two full-ride scholarships to high performing Kendle employees.  I was blessed to be selected for one of the scholarships.

Q: Why did you select the Drug Development program?

The opportunity came when I was contemplating graduate studies, and it was a good fit for my career in the CRO and Quality Assurance industry.

Q: How did you handle the school, work, life balance while in the program?

It truly took a village – my employer was incredibly supportive. My spouse was amazingly supportive even though we were raising three school-age kids – two (ages 2 and 4) whom we adopted internationally the year I started the program. I also had constant encouragement from my extended family and co-workers.

Q: What is a favorite memory or a proud moment you had during the MSDD program?

My proudest moments were the presentation of my Capstone Project and the graduation gown ceremony.

Q: Has your degree helped you in your career?

Yes – I believe my MSDD degree opened the door for me to become a department head at my current organization.

Q: Who is the MSDD program a good fit for?

Individuals working in the clinical research and pharmaceutical industries would be an ideal fit for this program.  The Drug Development program is beneficial to individuals who have worked in the industry for at least a few years to get the most benefit, understanding, and application of the course content.

Q: For someone who may have never taken an online course before, how would you describe the experience?

Online education allows for so much more flexibility to fit the program into a student’s schedule and life, particularly for those who have families or travel for work.  Online learning is beneficial for those who may not get to a class after work due to varied work schedules/responsibilities or experience long and heavy commuting time.

Q: Is there anything you would change or add to the program?

Having instructors who are currently working in the pharmaceutical and clinical research industry is impactful and relevant to learning the content.  Faculty interested in sharing their experiences in various areas is genuinely more meaningful than only textbook content.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

I am grateful for the program’s structure that gave me a strong foundational understanding of the drug development process.

Learn More About the Drug Development Programs with UC Online

The Pharmaceutics and Drug Development program from the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy is truly flexible and fully online. Accelerate your career while gaining a clearer vision of drug development for all phases of research from regulatory, pre-clinical to clinical, and beyond with a program built for busy working professionals in the field.

Learn More about the Drug Development program with UC Online