Covalent Group, Inc. Changes Board of Directors to
              Strengthen its Financial and Management Expertise;
              Repositioning Reflects Changing Needs of Company as
                              Growth Accelerates

WAYNE, Pa., October 11, 2001 /PRNewswire/ -- Covalent Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:
CVGR), a recognized leader in setting the standard in new approaches to drug
development, research management, and clinical trial safety is pleased to
announce that Thomas E. Hodapp and Scott M. Jenkins have been appointed to its
Board of Directors. Messrs. Hodapp and Jenkins bring to the Board unique skills
in finance and business development for growth companies that should ideally
complement the needs of Covalent Group, Inc.

These changes reposition our Board to meet the evolving needs of the Company as
it enters a more rapid growth phase. Messrs. Hodapp and Jenkins replace
resigning board members Anthony Cerami, Ph.D., Steven Sallen, M.D., and Donald
Holdsworth, each of whom has resigned to pursue other business commitments.
Covalent maintains good relationships with all three former Board members and
thanks them for their efforts on behalf of the Company.

The following brief biographies summarize the experience of the Company's new
Board members:

Thomas E. Hodapp has over 20 years of financial experience in the fields of
medical research, life sciences, and managed care, which includes experience in
both the private and public capital markets, as an industry research analyst,
investment banker, private equity investor and co-founder of several companies.
Tom is a nationally recognized expert on healthcare investment and strategy.
Currently, he is President of Access Capital Management, a financial advisory
and investment management firm providing financial and strategic advisory
services to both private and leading healthcare service, information technology
and life science companies. From 1992-1999, Tom was a Managing Director and
Senior Healthcare Research Analyst at Robertson Stephens & Company, LLC, where
he oversaw research for the managed care, practice management and healthcare
information services industries. He began his research career at Goldman Sachs &
Co. where he focused on healthcare services, managed care and medical devices.
In 1988, Tom joined Montgomery Medical Ventures, a $140 million venture capital
partnership with private investments in approximately 40 early stage healthcare
service, medical device and biotechnology companies. Mr. Hodapp currently
maintains a number of board positions, including Proxymed, Inc., a publicly
traded healthcare information technology company.

Scott M. Jenkins similarly brings to Covalent Group, Inc. an extensive
background in finance and accounting in both the public and private sectors
having worked across a broad array of industries as a consultant, analyst, and
investor. Scott is the President of S. M. Jenkins & Co., which he founded in
1991. S. M. Jenkins & Co. provides a wide range of financial and consulting
services to private companies, wealthy family groups and a variety of
businesses. In addition, he is the General Partner of Jenkins Partners, L.P.,
which has invested in many early stage private and public companies. After
graduating, with distinction, from the University of


Pennsylvania, Wharton School, with a Masters of Business Administration degree
in 1984, Scott joined Goldman Sachs & Co. where he worked until 1990 when he
went to the First Boston Corporation. He has also served in the not-for-profit
healthcare sector as the Chair of Board of Trustees of the Presbyterian Medical
Center of Philadelphia Foundation, which is now part of the University of
Pennsylvania Health System.

Kenneth M. Borow, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Covalent Group,
Inc.'s growth has continued to accelerate on an international scale over the
past year. Tom Hodapp and Scott Jenkins each bring unique expertise and contacts
to our Board of Directors. I believe that the Company will greatly benefit from
their experience and skills in corporate strategy and business development. I
couldn't be more pleased to have additions of this caliber."

Covalent Group, Inc. is a comprehensive research management and drug development
organization. Through its consultative, operational and technologic expertise,
Covalent Group is a leader in setting the standard in new approaches to drug
development and clinical trial safety. In addition, through its proprietary
TeleTrial(R) interactive speech recognition and web-enabled system, Covalent
Group is on the cutting edge of advanced clinical trial processes.

This press release contains forward-looking statements identified by words such
as "believe", "expect", "anticipates" and similar expressions. Actual results
might differ materially from those projected in, expressed in or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could affect
the Company's future operation results include, without limitation: (i) the
Company's success in attracting new business; (ii) the size, duration, and
timing of clinical trials; and (iii) the termination, delay or cancellation of
clinical trials. Additional information concerning factors that could cause
actual results to materially differ from those in forward looking statements is
contained in Covalent Group's SEC filings, including its Registration Statement
on Form S-3, Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and other periodic reports under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, copies of which are available upon
request from Covalent Group's investor relations department.

Company Contact:  Thomas Dean, Investor Relations, (212) 421-2545
Contact us on-line:  http://www.covalentgroup.com