Miami alumna builds global career in clinical research training
Miami alumna builds global career in clinical research training
Jessie Bayer, a 2017 Miami University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a 2019 master’s degree in kinesiology, has built a career that connects research, training, and leadership in the clinical research industry.
Bayer is a senior training and development associate at Medpace, a contract research organization that supports pharmaceutical and medical device companies by conducting clinical trials. In her role, she trains clinical trial managers and project coordinators around the world, supporting both new hires and ongoing learning. She also works on process improvement initiatives, helping develop and document new systems and standard operating procedures used across the company.
Her career path reflects the flexibility of her Miami experience. While completing her master’s degree, Bayer worked at Miami’s recreation center as a customer and facility services intern, where she managed and trained student staff. She later became a program director in the aquatics department at the YMCA, overseeing hiring, scheduling, staff training, and programs.
When the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the fitness and recreation industry, Bayer decided to pursue a new direction. She joined Medpace in 2021 as a project coordinator and transitioned into the training and development department about a year later, drawing on her background in leadership and staff training. She was promoted to her current senior role in 2025.
Bayer said her experience in Miami’s College of Education, Health and Society prepared her to enter a highly scientific and regulated field, even though clinical trials were not part of her original career plan. As an undergraduate, she assisted with faculty-led research under Dr. Walsh, an experience that helped her understand regulatory oversight and research design and eased the transition into her current role.
One of her proudest accomplishments has been leading a company-wide training initiative focused on access management. The training, released in 2024, addressed gaps that had caused confusion across the organization and is now widely used as Medpace continues to improve its systems.
Bayer encourages students to stay curious and open to change as they consider their future paths. “You don’t have to have it all figured out right now,” she said.
