Ohio State Graduate Students Advance Careers with Online Pharmacology Degree
From graduate students to industry experts: Omar Kalash and Demi MacLennan on their journeys in Translational Pharmacology, PharmaTimes wins, and career advancements
Ohio State’s online Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology degree program has had a lasting impact on clinical researchers Omar Kalash and Demi MacLennan's academic and professional lives.
Though the two didn't know each other while attending the Ohio State graduate program, each independently wanted to push the boundaries of their knowledge and chose to participate in the PharmaTimes Clinical Researcher of The Year – The Americas competition, which provides clinical researchers an opportunity to showcase their talents to industry experts.
The Clinical Researcher of the Year competition also proved to be an opportunity to network with fellow Buckeyes. That's where Kalash, who competed in the Clinical Research Coordinator category, and MacLennan, who competed in the Clinical Trial Manager category, met during the 2022 awards ceremony in October.
Summer 2022 graduate and two-time consecutive gold winner of the Clinical Researcher of The Year (2021 and 2022), Omar Kalash, MS, CCRA, attributes his victories and career advancement to the online graduate pharmacology degree at Ohio State.
“The Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology taught me the fundamentals and showed me a lot of the sides of being in a clinical research trial. You don’t get that everywhere.”
What drew Kalash to the online degree in pharmacology at Ohio State was the support and structure of the online program. He said he appreciated the flexibility and ample guidelines he received from his instructors.
“The Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology taught me the fundamentals and showed me a lot of the sides of being in a clinical research trial. You don’t get that everywhere,” he said.
During his time in the master’s program, Kalash worked at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center as a Clinical Research Coordinator. After graduation, he landed an opportunity with Labcorp Drug Development as a Project Coordinator, where he currently works with his fellow Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology graduate and Clinical Researcher of The Year contestant, Demi MacLennan, MS, CCRA, ACRP-PM.
MacLennan, who graduated in December 2022, participated in the competition a few months prior to graduating. She landed the bronze medal in the Clinical Trail Manager category.
“I chose to participate in the competition because I wanted to challenge myself and get outside my comfort zone," she said. "I work remotely, so I appreciated being able to connect with other clinical researchers in this field."
MacLennan works as a Global Clinical Trial Project Lead for Labcorp Drug Development. Her work focuses on promoting diversity in subject pools with regard to race and ethnicity. During her time in the program, she was promoted twice.
“I attribute my recent two promotions to educating myself at Ohio State. I really think that getting the coursework done helped me excel at my current position, and it was recognized,” she said.
MacLennan said she equally appreciated the support from her professors and the flexibility of the program.
“I took the program a little slower than others, based on what I could handle. The flexibility in the program was nice," she said.
In her final semester in the pharmacology program, she collaborated closely with faculty members from both the College of Pharmacy and the College of Nursing. She worked alongside Jen Plahovinsak, MS, DABT and Carolynn Jones, DNP, MSPH, RN on a manuscript for her capstone project that looked at current practices around diversity in clinical research. MacLennan found the experience to be valuable as it marked her first foray into the research publication process.
McLennan's research has garnered widespread recognition. She presented her research alongside Plahovinsak and Dr. Jones at the ACRP conference, "Improving Diversity: Site Practices and Perspectives," on April 29, 2023.
The online Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology is designed for students interested in a career in clinical or preclinical pharmacology. Students in the program can specialize in clinical trial design or preclinical toxicology. This pharmacology degree follows the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency and offers extensive coursework in toxicology, biostatistics, and general pharmacology.
Earning your clinical research degree through Ohio State is flexible and relevant to a wide range of professions in diverse fields— better positioning you to advance your career and the well-being of your community.
Ready to learn more? Explore the Master in Translational Pharmacology.