Building the CRA Community Nobody Else Would with Maria Milas

In the first episode of The Human Protocol, Theodora Savlovschi-Wicks is joined by Maria Milas, founder of CRAConnect and a leading voice within clinical research. Recorded during International Women’s Day week, this conversation goes beyond career paths and job titles to explore the reality of working in clinical trials, and the often overlooked role CRAs play in shaping patient outcomes. Maria shares her journey into the industry from a non-traditional background, what the CRA role actually looks like in practice, and why the biggest challenges in clinical research aren’t always technical, they’re human. This episode reflects the core of The Human Protocol: understanding the people behind the roles, and how their experiences ultimately shape the way trials are designed, delivered, and experienced. Key takeaways: 🔸 The CRA role isn’t just operational, it quietly sits at the centre of patient safety and data integrity🔸 You don’t need a scientific degree to succeed in clinical research but you do need adaptability and strong human skills🔸 Burnout in the industry often comes from mismatched expectations, not just workload🔸 Why peer-led communities like CRA Community are becoming essential support systems🔸 The gap between how technology is built and how it’s actually used in trials🔸 Why CRAs need more agency, and how that could reshape the industry long term Chapters: 00:00 Introduction01:10 Maria’s background and entry into clinical research05:20 Breaking into the CRA role without a traditional path09:00 What a CRA actually does day-to-day15:30 Early career challenges and expectations vs reality23:50 The reality of workload, pressure, and burnout30:40 Building CRA Community and supporting others38:20 Technology in trials: what’s working and what isn’t44:10 The future of the CRA role49:30 Final reflections Host:Theodora Savlovschi-WicksLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/theoswicks/ Guest:Maria MilasLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamilas/ The Human Protocol is a podcast from Vivexa, exploring clinical conversations at the intersection of people and trials.Learn more about Vivexa Partners here: https://vivexapartners.com/ 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on the people shaping clinical research.