I worked for Medpace as a CRA a couple of years ago. Reading the recent reviews, it’s apparent that things haven’t changed. The only pro of Medpace is their CRA training program, which few other CROs seem to offer. This comes in handy when you’re bombarded with messages from CRA recruiters with exponentially better job opportunities once you get some experience under your belt. Medpace claims their compensation is on par with the industry standard, yet my offer from another CRO was nearly twice my Medpace salary. Medpace justifies these comically low base salaries with their travel bonus program, while most CROs offer both higher salaries and similar travel bonus programs.
During my time at Medpace, it was clear that upper management sees their employees as nothing more than expendable cash cows. COVID-19 highlighted these issues even more as Medpace was one of the few CROs that laid off employees while most other CROs not only avoided layoffs, but continued to hire. Additionally, Medpace is the only CRO that my colleagues and I know of that compelled CRAs to travel throughout the pandemic. Other CROs put a hold on all company travel to ensure company safety. During the height of the pandemic, the CEO flat out said during a quarterly meeting that “if you’re not willing to travel right now, you aren’t doing your job.” This goes to show that while other CROs prioritize their CRAs health and safety, Medpace is fueled by selfishness and greed. Unless you’re desperate to get your foot in the door within clinical research, stay far away.
