The Human Protocol

Vivexa Partners

Vivexa was founded on a simple belief: the human belongs at the heart of recruitment. Yes, we embrace AI and automation to remove the repetitive tasks and streamline the day-to-day. But technology was never the point. The point is protecting what matters: human judgement, trust, emotion, and the ripple effect that happens when the right person joins the right team. The Human Protocol is the podcast extension of that belief. Because drug development is human too, not just in the professionals designing and running trials, but in the patient whose life sits at the centre of every protocol. In each episode, Theo Savlovschi-Wicks speaks with leaders across clinical research and the service ecosystem around it, from CRO and SMO leadership to advocates and operators working within the realities of trials, to explore the conversations that rarely make it into the headline summary: 🔸Who gets a voice when protocols are designed? 🔸Whose experience shapes what becomes “standard”? 🔸What changes when we intentionally diversify thought, experience and perspective within teams? 🔸And how do leadership decisions ultimately affect patients in the real world? The Human Protocol exists to challenge assumptions, elevate thoughtful leadership, and centre the human at every stage of drug development. Subscribe now to join the conversation and to be part of shaping a more equitable, human-first future for clinical research.

Episodes

  1. Building the CRA Community Nobody Else Would with Maria Milas

    25 MAR

    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 Introduction 01:10 Maria’s background and entry into clinical research 05:20 Breaking into the CRA role without a traditional path 09:00 What a CRA actually does day-to-day 15:30 Early career challenges and expectations vs reality 23:50 The reality of workload, pressure, and burnout 30:40 Building CRA Community and supporting others 38:20 Technology in trials: what’s working and what isn’t 44:10 The future of the CRA role 49:30 Final reflections   Host: Theodora Savlovschi-Wicks LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/theoswicks/   Guest: Maria Milas LinkedIn 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.

    49 min

About

Vivexa was founded on a simple belief: the human belongs at the heart of recruitment. Yes, we embrace AI and automation to remove the repetitive tasks and streamline the day-to-day. But technology was never the point. The point is protecting what matters: human judgement, trust, emotion, and the ripple effect that happens when the right person joins the right team. The Human Protocol is the podcast extension of that belief. Because drug development is human too, not just in the professionals designing and running trials, but in the patient whose life sits at the centre of every protocol. In each episode, Theo Savlovschi-Wicks speaks with leaders across clinical research and the service ecosystem around it, from CRO and SMO leadership to advocates and operators working within the realities of trials, to explore the conversations that rarely make it into the headline summary: 🔸Who gets a voice when protocols are designed? 🔸Whose experience shapes what becomes “standard”? 🔸What changes when we intentionally diversify thought, experience and perspective within teams? 🔸And how do leadership decisions ultimately affect patients in the real world? The Human Protocol exists to challenge assumptions, elevate thoughtful leadership, and centre the human at every stage of drug development. Subscribe now to join the conversation and to be part of shaping a more equitable, human-first future for clinical research.