Are you a recent graduate and wondering what to do next? Would you like to break into Clinical Research and work with medicines and contribute to patient safety? Are you already in the healthcare profession and looking for a career transition?
There are tons of opportunities in the clinical research field. You can start at a site level and work at a clinic, hospital, or at a university OR you can explore opportunities with pharmaceutical companies, CROs, or Biotech vendors.
Why should someone consider a career in Clinical Research? There are numerous diseases with no effective cure or cure at all, and clinical research continues to be essential for the foreseeable future to bring new medicines and medical devices to the market for public use. The life span of a clinical trial on average is 8-10 years so the potential for long-term employment and career progression is huge.
Individuals who get into the clinical research field often have a motivation to contribute to improving and saving lives. Clinical research is a dynamic working environment with challenges, opportunities, and incentives. Individuals who land their career in clinical research come from a range of backgrounds with a range of qualifications, a graduate or post-graduate student with a background in Chemistry, Life Science, Pharmacovigilance or the MAs, Nurses, Pharmacy technicians, etc. Even individuals with no university qualifications can enter clinical research through some training and acquire skills for day to day activities of the job.
Career: There is a wide range of career categories available where you start, it could be Regulatory Affairs, Quality Control, Clinical Operations, etc. You may choose to start from a research site level to learn and master the fundamental skills. The site gives a great opportunity to understand how the research industry works, the whole dynamics, different stakeholders involved, and maintaining communication with industry experts while working in collaboration with them. This in turn helps to gain insights on different roles available in the research industry and find the best suited for oneself down the road.
Positions: At the site level, you can enter the clinical research field as a research assistant, research coordinator, patient recruitment specialist, or regulatory coordinator. With sponsors and CROs, you can look for CTA (Clinical Trial Administrator) position to provide support to trial sites or CRAs (Clinical Research Associates). With the CRA position, a significant amount of travel could be required. Regulatory affairs specialists gather, collate and review the data before submitting it to regulatory agencies. You can also look for a Document Specialist position where the role would be to write, distribute, collect, store and maintain trial-related documents.
What’s next? It is recommended to consult with an expert and get advice from people already working in the industry. You can choose our career services, where we can review your resume and provide guidance for the research career ahead. We can also help network, prepare for interviews and assist you to find the right job for your bright future ahead.
