A Couple Questions With: Aubrey Farray, Jr.
· Can you provide a short bio, please?
o Aubrey has a decade worth of experience in the clinical research industry. He is an experienced Clinical Research Leader owning all stages of the project lifecycle from inception through monitoring and closing to deliver projects that exceed expectations on time. He's demonstrated mastery of clinical operations from study initiation, budgeting, coordination, regulatory, line management, risk, and quality management. Leading up to this, he has worked as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator and has always had a particular interest in assuring volunteers remain safe during clinical trial participation. As a Licensed Paramedic, his background in EMS for over 15 years has equipped him with the skills and knowledge to properly assess patient wellbeing and intervene when safety issues arise. His therapeutic interest and expertise include Early Phase Healthy Volunteers, Parkinson’s Disease, Immunology, Tobacco Cessation, Major Depression, Migraine, NAFLD, NASH, and many more. Additionally, Mr. Farray has experience in working with study participants of all ages from young children to older adults. Studies he has overseen were FDA audited as recent as March 2022 and historically, no 483s.
Mr. Farray is currently an MBA student and holds an Applied Science degree in Emergency Medical Science and maintains membership as a Certified Clinical Research Professional with SOCRA.
At M3-Wake Research, Mr. Farray oversaw study conduct for all research studies comprised of numerous indications in the NC region. M3-Wake Research Inc., Emerging Medical Research, Carolina Phase I Research, and Carolina GI Research. He was responsible for the day-to-day site clinical and strategic operations, vendor management, project management, staff resourcing, and all aspects of clinical research trials and related office operations. He was also responsible, in assistance to the Principal Investigator, for ensuring that all clinical trials are conducted according to ICH-GCP guidelines. These guidelines are the principles that protect study participants' interests as well as define credible data.
As of October 2022, Aubrey is embarking on an exciting journey with LabCorp Drug Development in the role of Project Manager II. Outside of work, Mr. Farray enjoys ministry work, time spent with family, as well as fitness activities.
· What is your current role?
o Project Manager - LabCorp Drug Development | PRN Paramedic, Granville EMS (911)
· Tell me how you got started, where did your interest in EMS come from?
o Started as EMT/FF at a large FD in Maryland. I was first introduced working retail in PA as a teenager. A group of firefighters were looking to by a TV for the station. Jokingly I asked, "where I can I work and watch TV at the same time." They told me to apply to a career department. I did and I was chosen 1 out of 2000 applicants for their academy.
· How do you think your time in emergency medicine has changed your view of the world?
o It's taught me how fragile life is. How important safety is. And how mankind does not have the tools or intellect necessary to govern mankind.
· What do you wish you knew on your first day? What advice would you have for a new provider?
o Initially as an EMT I didn't think I was smart enough to be a paramedic. I didn't have a mentor or teacher that cared enough to guide me. I moved to NC and found Ms. V. Her manner of teaching and simple approach changed my life and my confidence. My advice is don't stop at EMT, don't stop at Paramedic. Find a mentor and kept growing your career.
· What advice would you have for someone interested in taking a leadership position?
o Love people first. If you don't love people of all sorts, you should not be leading them.
· Where do you see EMS in 10 years?
o For our credentials to be more respected we have to commit to minimum associates degree to practice. I hope in the next 10 years this will finally be required. If it is, pay and potentially even scope of practice will be increased.
· What is your favorite funny EMS story to tell at parties?
o I can't forget the many homes visited with roaches crawling everywhere and providers insisting to see the patient outside... Because I’m 5'3 with smaller frame, I was always the one chosen to go into the tightest nastiest places to reach the patient... or hanging off the stretcher doing ineffective compressions as we wheeled the patient in the ED. (Thankfully education and standards have changed) Looking back I think to myself where was the Lucas device or the thumper for those who know. Not exactly funny but why was I always the one riding top stretcher looking crazy??