Hidden Gems: Meet Danielle Mitchell of Black Women In Clinical Research

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Mitchell.

Hi Danielle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I ran into a college classmate who told me about clinical research. Clinical research was never discussed as a career option at my college. I made it my mission to learn more about clinical research. I was rejected for every position I applied to, but all I needed was one yes. I cold-called clinical research clinics to ask if I could shadow or be an intern. A black-owned clinical research clinic said yes to me. This was the foundation that I needed, and my clinical research career began. After my internship, I landed a position at a cancer institution as a clinical research coordinator. I attended an investigator meeting, and in a room of hundreds of people, there were only two black women, including myself. So, it made me question whether it was a lack of diversity in the room or a lack of diversity in the industry. This was when Black Women In Clinical Research was born.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, changing the long standing thinking and practices when diversifying the clinical research workforce has been a challenge.

We’ve been impressed with Black Women In Clinical Research, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Black Women In Clinical Research’s mission is to educate, empower, support, and help black women thrive in the clinical research industry. We want to increase the diversity in the clinical trial population by increasing the diversity in the clinical research workforce. There is an opportunity for everyone in clinical research, no matter your background. We offer resume reviews, interview preparation, career coaching, LinkedIn profiles, resume writing, and cover letters.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Perseverance has contributed to my success. I didn’t give up when I was rejected. I used that as motivation to succeed.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bwicr.com