When exploring the path to becoming a clinical research associate, you will discover valuable advice and guidance that can help you kickstart your journey as early as high school. By continuously advancing your education and demonstrating determination, you can steadily progress in your clinical research career, leading to the opportunity to work on significant treatments for acute, chronic, and life-threatening diseases.
Who is a Clinical Research Associate?
Clinical Research Associates play a crucial role in developing new drugs that treat and manage a wide range of conditions, including diseases. It takes years of rigorous testing and studying to evaluate the effectiveness, risks, and benefits of drugs before they are made available to the public. These essential clinical trials are conducted in pharmaceutical labs or Contract Research Organizations (CROs). Clinical research is the most important pillar of the healthcare market worldwide. The whole healthcare industry from pharmaceutical producers to consumers, all trust the trials done and safety data accumulated by the Clinical Research group behind each new drug, food supplement, cosmetic product, or device launched in the market. A Clinical Research Associate (CRA) has critical tasks within the clinical trial process. They have an important responsibility to verify that patients’ rights, safety and well-being are protected and that the reported clinical trial data are precise and complete. Clinical Research Associates, are individuals who act as liaisons between the institutions that sponsor and fund the clinical research trials, and the clinics that conduct the research.
Responsibilities of a Clinical Research Associate
Clinical Research Associates act as gatekeepers of research labs, ensuring the smooth operation of trials and maintaining accurate and up-to-date data. Some of the key responsibilities of Clinical Research Associate includes:
- A Clinical Research Associate carries out tasks like selection, initiation, monitoring, and close-out visits at the participating clinical trial centres to coordinate the study and the logistics.
- They also monitor the study to check whether it has been done under applicable rules and regulations.
- Develop methodology, study procedure, and instructions for clinical trials staff and design case Report Form (CRF)
- Clinical Research Associate has to manage medication supplies, medication accountability and study supplies.
- They also have to do the collection, verification and finalise collected data to create reports and present the results of findings to other medical staff.
- Clinical Research Associates ensure again and again the safety and well-being of test subjects by liaising with the ethics committee.
- Submission of clinical trial documents for review and approval by those ethics committees.
- Manage regulatory authority applications and approvals that oversee the research and marketing of new and existing drugs.
- Clinical Research Associates have to set up the trial sites making sure each centre has the trial materials and the trial drug known as the Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP)
What education and skills do you need as a Clinical Research Associate?
To become a Clinical Research Associate, for the basics some of the qualifications and skills must be relevant to the pharma industry. For example, a Clinical Research Associate needs to have a degree in the Medical field. In summary, you need to have these qualifications, knowledge and personal attributes:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the field of Medicine or Life science.
- In-depth knowledge of Medical Terminologies.
- Great Communication Skills.
- Excellent computer skills
- Knowledge of Good Clinical Practices (GCP) and relevant training is an advantage. To become an expert in GCP knowledge you can check out our Clinical Research training program at CareerInPharma.
Why choose Clinical Research Associate
- Many great opportunities worldwide.
- You help to make a difference in the healthcare industry.
- India has become a hub for clinical trials, thus Clinical Research Associates are in huge demand.
- Investing your medical knowledge into an inspiring and evolutionary field.
- Offers stability in career and life by giving a chance to maintain a good work-life balance.
Salary Expectations as Clinical Research Associate
Clinical Research Associates’ Job salary ranges from 2 LPA to 4 LPA for entry-level and at mid-level, it ranges from 5 LPA to 7 LPA and later it hikes depending on experience, location and the hiring organisation.
Career prospects
Career structures differ from organisation to organisation. Moving up the grades depends on many different factors including the experience, interest and opportunities available for development and training. Before becoming a Clinical Research Associate, you may begin at an entry level such as a Clinical Trial Administrator or Junior Clinical Research Associate. As a CRA, you’ll work on pre-trial procedures, setting up and organising clinical trial sites with some supervision, and archiving documents and reports. With the right combination of skills and experience, you can move into the role of senior CRA also known as a CRA II. Work will include selecting investigators, coordinating ethics committee and regulatory authority applications, supervising trial supplies and attending investigators.
With experience, dedication and confidence you can flourish in this extraordinary and revolutionary field. As a Clinical Research As, you will contribute to the development of life-changing treatments and therapies, ensuring the safety and well-being of patients involved in clinical trials. Take the initiative to pursue certification and continuously expand your knowledge to advance your career opportunities. Now is the time to showcase your passion and dedication as you enter the world of clinical research and make a meaningful impact on healthcare advancements.
