Dr. Brittany Cross: Opportunities Matter
Dr. Brittany Cross began her time at Moffitt Cancer Center in 2006 as a Cancer PhD student in the laboratory of Dr. Jiandong Chen studying p53. P53 is a protein that acts as a tumor suppressor, meaning it regulates the pace of cell division. After earning her degree, Dr. Cross pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina.
After her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Cross worked in industry for a year before transitioning to the role of a medical science liaison. Dr. Cross knew she wanted to pursue a career where she was constantly moving and doing different things. As a medical science liaison, Dr. Cross had the opportunity to travel to various institutions and provide educational medical information to researchers and clinicians. The switch from lab work and industry to a medical science liaison came with a one-year learning curve for Dr. Cross to feel fully confident in all the information she was conveying.
Today, Dr. Cross is the Head of Field Medical & Operational Excellence – Global Medical Affairs Excellence at Kyowa Kirin, Inc. In this position, Dr. Cross develops, leads and drives field medical strategy and field operations for medical excellence.
Dr. Cross enjoys her current position because it involves a medical and research background but in a different capacity. She is constantly learning, specifically in the spheres of developing global SOPs, budgets, and other business globalization spaces. This position has opened the door for Dr. Cross to work with teams with a wide variety of skills and backgrounds. The combination of a strong team with vast skill sets and a strong leader who provides great support has been her favorite of working at Kyowa Kirin, Inc. so far.
Dr. Cross has been an invited speaker and panelist to a multitude of global medical affairs conferences sharing how technology plays a role in field medical strategy. This recognition has come after hard, but rewarding work that does not happen without recognizing the team around her as well.
While at Moffitt as a PhD student, Dr. Cross took the opportunity to network with as many individuals as she could which is a valuable skill recommended to all trainees.
Another important skill that Dr. Cross has honed over the years is the ability to be flexible and confident when public speaking. Confidence in your material and in the way you address an audience is crucial. Public speaking is crucial not only to the success of a scientific presentation but also when networking and directing a lab meeting. Dr. Cross’ advice for current trainees is to practice whenever possible, as it will play a key role in your future.
Dr. Cross encourages current trainees to focus on their research but do not forget to think about your future. Being proactive in expanding your skillset is the way to get to your dream position as fast as possible.