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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Is anyone here a Clinical Research Associate/Specialist/whatever?
Can you tell me a little bit about your job? What is your typical week like?
What kind of education do you have, and what do you think the typical education is for a person on this kind of position?
This type of job sounds interesting to me, but I don't know very much about it. Thanks!
Re: Is anyone here a Clinical Research Associate/Specialist/whatever?
I have a friend who is a CRA. Basically you help run clinical trials, this might include helping with scheduling patients, paperwork, making sure protocols are up to the date, and things are done according to the written protocol. Depends on the type of study going on and the size of the study, you'll have different administrative responsibilites. I also believe it involves traveling and monitoring different clinical sites.
As far as degree, I think he had a BS and then did a certificate in clinical trials or something like that. I know you can take a test online also and get some sort of certificate, I don't know the details. But I think a typical education is a BS or BS and some sort of certificate or training in clinical trials.
I'm looking to get into the field as well, so I'm hoping to see some more replies.
From what I know, a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) is someone who monitors clinical trials at various sites, either working for the drug/device company or for another organization.
A Clinical Research Coordinator or Clinical Research Assistant work at a hospital/university coordinating patient recruitment for a study, correspond with the sponsor, submit paperwork to the IRB (Institutional Review Board), and work with other clinical staff.
There is a medical devices company not far from where I live that appears to hire at the senior level with a PhD (although they call them Senior Clinical Research Specialists rather than Associates). If all goes according to plan, I'll be graduating with my PhD next spring, so right now I'm researching various career paths in anticipation of beginning my job search this fall.
The job description for the SCRS at this medical devices company sounds really interesting, as do the other descriptions I've read for specialists/associates, and I'm just hoping that someone here has personal experience with this kind of work.
Personally, I'm looking for a dynamic and challenging work environment (I like change and variety in my work) and one in which I can feel like I'm doing something useful or that helps people. I keep coming back to this job title, because at least on paper it sounds a lot like what I'm looking for.
Not a CRA but work closely with them. Do as much research as you can about the position; it typically involves a great deal of travel and some pretty mundane work.
Most employers will want hands on monitoring experience (often in a specific therapeutic area like oncology) to hire you- it is a catch 22. Many CRAs start right out of undergrad (with a BA) in an in house assistant position and work their way up. A few are site coordinators and make the move to pharma or a service provider.
I think (unless this is a very specialized position), you will likely be questioned as to why you want to be a CRA after spending all the time and effort to get a PhD. It is not a normal career track (although there are some foreign MD's who become CRAs). That being said, I do not have experience with device companies, who might demand a more specialized skill set.
I do not mean to be rude at all, but please do more research about the job and what it involves prior to going on interviews. Saying that you "want to help people" or "do something useful" might be perceived as a bit naive.
I found an article online (written by a post doc who applied for CRA jobs) and thought it might be helpful to you:
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2002_04_05/noDOI.10702947596265032007
Good luck!
Thanks for the information, I'll check out that link.
As I said, I'm simply trying to research some possible career paths as I begin to think about my upcoming job search (starting this fall). I'm certainly nowhere close to applying anywhere, much less going on interviews. I really just want some basic information as to what people in this position do on a day to day basis so I can decide whether or not it's something that I want to think about more seriously in the future.
ETA: I should add that, whether it's perceived as naive or not, it actually is extremely important for me to feel like I'm doing something that is worthwhile. I spent the better part of a decade working in high-volume manufacturing before making the decision to go to grad school for a career change. I will do anything, ANYTHING, to avoid that kind of a soul-crushing environment. To me, application is everything.