Meet Brandon Rodriguez, clinical research associate (CRA) in IQVIA’s clinical Functional Service Provider (FSP) organization. Brandon’s inspiring background proves there is no one path to becoming a CRA at IQVIA. 

After graduating from high school, Brandon joined the United States Army as a dental assistant and digital radiography subject matter expert. Throughout his six years in service, working in Thailand, Germany, South Korea and Maryland, Brandon was honored with four Army Commendation medals and three Army Achievements medals. 

Life post-military

After leaving the military, Brandon graduated from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley with a Bachelor of Science in biology and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with a doctorate in pharmacology. 

Since then, he has worked for a dental practice, various pharmacy externships and most recently, as a clinical regulatory affairs specialist. 

“As a regulatory affairs specialist, I worked closely with clinical research associates, project managers, clinical trial managers and other specialists from CROs and pharmaceutical companies,” said Brandon. “My interactions with IQVIANs always trumped the rest…inspiring me to work at IQVIA.” 

A career as a CRA

Brandon joined IQVIA in 2022 as a clinical research associate (CRA) in our clinical FSP organization. In his role, he is responsible for conducting, monitoring and documenting clinical trials and ensuring adherence to regulations and sponsor requirements. 

“The combination of my military background, education and clinical experience has made for the perfect combination of skills and experiences for a career as a CRA,” said Brandon. “My military training gave me the soft skills to remain vigilant and have meticulous attention to detail, while my schooling and previous professional experiences have been helpful when training or helping trial team members wade through technical clinical jargon.” 

What makes a successful CRA?

Brandon proves there is no singular path to becoming a CRA at IQVIA. 

“I have seen CRAs come from diverse backgrounds… from healthcare administration to science teachers to clinical trial associates,” said Brandon. “The most important thing is having a passion to serve others and a keen eye for detail. Having a wide-ranging and colorful background has gone a long way in helping me relate to others.”   

Are you ready to build a career as a Clinical Research Associate? Check out our open monitoring jobs.

Learn more about how our Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG) connects active duty and transitioning service members and veterans at IQVIA here.