Anna Danielyan, MD | Foundations of Clinical Research
Anna Danielyan, MD, is a consulting associate medical director with extensive experience conducting clinical trials across various oncology indications. She is highly regarded for her in-depth understanding of scientific concepts, methodologies, and rules and regulations governing clinical practice.
Filling Knowledge Gaps
Danielyan completed her residency in pediatrics at Yerevan State Medical School in Armenia. After working as a pediatrician for ten years, she moved to the United States to pursue a different path. She began her new career as an associate clinical scientist at Agenus, a biotech company focusing on cancer immunotherapy. Lacking experience in clinical research, she turned to Harvard Medical School’s Foundations of Clinical Research course to fill the knowledge gap.
“I had strong clinical experience, but my research knowledge was from my medical university years. It was long forgotten and needed to be refreshed. I did some research to see if there were any programs for people like me with no US background who graduated from somewhere else. I found this program and it was perfect for me.”
Applying Newfound Knowledge
Foundations of Clinical Research is designed to provide learners with the fundamental knowledge and skill sets to produce high-quality clinical research. After completing this six-month certificate program, learners will be able to design, implement, and analyze clinical research studies while also demonstrating a clear understanding of biostatistical and epidemiological concepts.
Danielyan says the most valuable takeaway from the course was the immediate improvement in her ability to interpret data, which is critical to her everyday work and career advancement. The program not only helped her build confidence but also led to her promotion from associate clinical scientist to associate medical director.
More to Learn
Danielyan graduated from Foundations of Clinical Research in 2022 and hopes to continue building on the connections and community that in-person classes helped to foster with her classmates. During the course, she identified other areas for improvement. To fill those knowledge gaps, she is looking into applying to another program at Harvard Medical School.
“I am thinking it’s going to be one of the leadership programs, Global Clinical Scholar Research Training. I would like to apply to the program right away, but I need to take the US MLA test before I can move forward.”
Harvard Medical School offers an intensive clinical research vertical that includes certificate programs such as Foundations of Clinical Research and the more advanced option, Global Clinical Scholars Research Training. In addition to the certificate programs, HMS offers Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation, a two-year master’s program.