Summer Intern - Christina Ciaranitro
Christina Ciaramitaro served as a CCTS summer research intern in the Radiology Department working with Dr. Alexander Bankier, Vice Chair Academic Affairs, Division Chief Cardiothoracic Imaging and Sara Schiller, MPH, Research Program Manager, Department of Radiology. Christina recently graduated from UMass Lowell in May with a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical sciences and minors in both business administration and public health. She is continuing her education at UMass Lowell by pursuing a master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, finishing next spring.
Given her personal and academic background, she has always been curious about clinical research. Growing up with family members taking part in clinical trials, it sparked her interest in the field from a young age. In hearing about this internship, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to kick-start a career in clinical research and discover what areas of the field are most interesting to her.
As an intern working in Radiology, Christina will be a part of numerous clinical trials, covering different disease states and aspects of medicine. Working on these trials she will do things such as enrolling and consenting study participants, reviewing medical charts, sitting in on sponsor meetings, and much more. As there are multiple studies happening within the department simultaneously, she will gain exposure to the various study phases, providing a rich learning experience of how this field operates.
From this position, Christina looks forward to learning the day-to-day operations of a clinical researcher and understanding the work that goes into getting a trial off the ground, to the point where the study data can be utilized and applied to clinical settings. She also wants to make meaningful connections with all the people she meets. From the faculty, industry sponsors, fellow interns, and more, she hopes to gain a strong network of people that she can continue to interact with even when the internship concludes.
Most importantly, Christina believes that this internship will allow her to see what area of clinical research is best for her. As a recent college graduate, navigating the job market can be intimidating. It is difficult to find a job when you may not even know what you're looking for and what opportunities are out there. Research is a very vast field with many different roles and positions. This internship will allow Christina to see these jobs in action so that she can make a decision about where she sees herself working full-time.
Christina is very grateful for this internship opportunity and eager to learn. She plans to make the most out of her time here, experiencing as much as she can. All the experience she gains this summer will carry into any job she chooses in the future.