When They Were Students ft. Rosemarie Scharf

'When They Were Students' is a feature highlighting the diverse and unique journeys of our OHI team members into their current One Health careers.

My career has been anything but linear, and if there’s one piece of advice I’d give to young students, it’s this: say yes to opportunities, even if they scare you. Growth happens outside your comfort zone, and the best paths are often the ones you never planned for.

I started my professional journey in the United States Air Force, serving as an F-16 Tactical Aircraft Maintainer. Stationed in Aviano, Italy and deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, I worked on fighter jets while leading my squadron in physical fitness training. Military service taught me discipline, adaptability, and a global mindset—qualities that have shaped every step of my career.

Experiencing different cultures during my deployment left me fascinated by the complexities of human societies, past and present. After completing my enlistment, I pursued my passion for anthropology through my undergraduate studies, enriched by fieldwork opportunities in Greece, Guatemala, and Ohio. By my senior year, I was conducting my own research and returning to field school as a Field Assistant and Lab Assistant.

My curiosity eventually led me to clinical research, a field I hadn’t initially considered but quickly became passionate about. I began in endocrinology at Albany Medical College before transitioning to oncology research at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, where I worked across breast cancer, melanoma, multiple myeloma, and radiation oncology trials. As part of my role, I took on teaching responsibilities, training new coordinators on informed consent processes and the use of OnCore, a clinical trial management system for tracking study progress, patient enrollment, and regulatory compliance. I was later promoted to Lead Study Coordinator for the Leukemia research team, where I managed clinical trials, while also taking on assistant management responsibilities, overseeing trial assignments and the leukemia research portfolio.

In May 2023, I graduated as a top student from Gillings’ School of Global Public Health, earning induction into the Delta Omega Honor Society. A few months later, I achieved a major professional milestone by becoming a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP).

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that your passions will find a way to merge—even if they seem unrelated at first. My love for research, public health, and global issues led me to UC Davis One Health Institute, where I became the Global Operations Manager for the DDvax Rift Valley Fever vaccine trial. This role allowed me to work on cutting-edge global health research while applying the One Health approach I had studied in my MPH coursework. By September 2023, I was promoted to Clinical Trial Manager, the position I had set my sights on from the beginning. 

Now based in California, I’m fully embracing the outdoor lifestyle—running, snowboarding, cycling, hiking, and kayaking. The diverse landscape fuels my adventurous spirit, much like my ever-evolving career. I’ve also found like-minded colleagues who share my love for the outdoors, including one who’s inspired me to take on a new challenge—training for the Avenue of the Giants Marathon in May! At the same time, the One Health Institute has provided an incredible opportunity to advance my career in global health research. It’s been a fulfilling place to grow, allowing me to merge my passions for research, public health, and international collaboration in ways I never could have imagined.