Kimberly Anderson: climbing the career ladder.

• Author: Steinbrech, Amy
• Position: Around Utah: People

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Kimberly Anderson knows what it means to climb the career ladder one

rung at a time. At 16 years old, Anderson started working part time at PEGUS Research as way to pay for a car accident she was in. Fast forward 18 years, and Anderson has risen through the ranks at PEGUS Research to become vice president of clinical operations. She joined the company in its call center, but loved the work and the company so much she completed a bachelor's degree and a master's in public health in order to progress within the firm.

"In order to further my career, I had to have the educational background to complement my work experience and that was the impetus for me to grow bigger and do better things and not to get stuck in the same rut," Anderson says.

PEGUS Research conducts clinical research in the Rx-to-OTC (over-the-counter) switch process. "The drugs we work with have a long history with prescription use and we observe if people can safely use these medicines without a doctor's prescription," she says.

It's a very specialized profession, and Anderson is one of a small handful of research consultants in this field. At PEGUS, she oversees project support that includes data management as well as regulatory and site coordination, the area of the company responsible for coordinating with pharmacies where consumers typically purchase OTC products. A few years ago, she was the lead project manager and consultant on the switch of Oxytrol...