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Shay Webb ’20, ’23M

Shay Webb ’23M is one of 1.45 million Americans currently living with type 1 diabetes, which fueled her decision to pursue a graduate degree in clinical research at UNCW's College of Health and Human Services.
Shay Webb ’23M is one of 1.45 million Americans currently living with type 1 diabetes, which fueled her decision to pursue a graduate degree in clinical research at UNCW's College of Health and Human Services.

Shay Webb ’20, ’23M is one of 1.45 million Americans currently living with type 1 diabetes, which fueled her decision to pursue a graduate degree in clinical research.

“As a person who has lived with chronic illnesses practically all my life, I felt there was so much that I could offer in this industry, especially as I saw a great need within my community,” she said. “The field of research is endless, and with the current disparity with people of color, the more of us who are ‘all hands on deck,’ the more we can do for the rest of the population.”

Despite adversity and day-to-day challenges, Webb does not let her condition hinder her. In fact, it continues to inspire her career plans.

“First, I want to come back into the education sector. I want to focus on diabetic treatment because there are so many aspects about it that are in the process of change,” she said. “Ten years ago, we thought type 1 diabetes was just for juveniles and type 2 was just for adults. But that has shifted completely where we’re seeing an increase of juveniles getting type 2 and an increase of adults being correctly diagnosed with type 1.”

Outside of her clinical research, Webb serves as president of Delta Alpha Pi, an academic honor society founded to recognize high-achieving students with disabilities. She began her higher education journey in 2015 as an Isaac Bear Early College high school student and matriculated as an official UNCW student in 2017. Webb completed her undergraduate degree in clinical research in 2020.

She works as an associate medical writer at PPD/Thermo Fisher, a global contract research organization. In this role, Webb writes informed consent forms for patients who participate in clinical trials.

“My team and I are responsible for writing documents that explain everything that’s going to happen to a patient while providing details about the drugs that will be tested,” she said. She plans to take her experience as a medical writer and focus on patient advocacy and patient engagement.

"We can not only communicate better with patients, but we can also increase the visibility of patients with lesser-known conditions,” she said. “I want to be an influential piece for the next generation of clinical researchers, especially those of color who may not see themselves in the classroom. They can come to me as their educator and ask, ‘What does it feel like after I graduate? Will I be able to get a job?’ That is the kind of role that I want to play.”

After graduation, Webb will attend Campbell University in fall 2023 for their Doctor of Health Sciences degree program.


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