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Clinical Trial Management

A clinical research is a systematic study for new drugs in human subjects to generate data for discovering or verifying the clinical, pharmacological (including pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic) or adverse effects, with the objective of determining safety and efficacy of the new drug.

10Early-level career roles

12GCP principles to know

CRC · CRACommon entry roles

4%Avg. annual salary growth

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The industry

A fast-growing field with lucrative roles

The clinical research industry has grown around the world at an unparalleled rate in the past few years. It has opened up new vistas of employment for a large number of people. These large numbers can be attributed to the fact that this industry offers lucrative employment opportunities.

US$ 45 bn+Worldwide clinical trials market

2,10,000People employed in the US

70,000+People employed in the UK — one third of total R&D staff

4%Average annual salary growth, vs under 1% for other segments

Career roles

Early-level positions in clinical trials

The different early-level positions and designations in clinical trials, and what each role does day to day.

10Career roles

3Job families

Typical growth path

  1. Entry levelClinical Research Coordinator · Clinical Trial Assistant
  2. Mid levelClinical Research Associate → Senior CRA
  3. Senior levelClinical Trial Manager · Project Manager · Program / Operations Manager

Clini India’s APCRM™ program covers clinical trial management as one of its four modules.

Site & monitoring

4 roles

  • Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC)Coordinates daily clinical trial activities. Ensures compliance with study protocols. Manages patient recruitment and follow-ups.
  • Clinical Trial Assistant (CTA)Provides administrative support to clinical trial teams. Maintains trial documentation and databases. Assists with regulatory submissions and monitoring visits.
  • Clinical Research Associate (CRA)Monitors clinical trial sites to ensure compliance with protocols. Reviews and verifies data from clinical trials. Conducts site visits and audits.
  • Senior Clinical Research Associate (Senior CRA)Leads monitoring activities for complex or multi-site trials. Provides mentorship and training to junior CRAs. Manages escalations and critical site issues.

Trial & program management

4 roles

  • Clinical Trial Manager (CTM)Oversees the planning, execution, and completion of clinical trials. Coordinates with cross-functional teams and external vendors. Manages timelines, budgets, and resources.
  • Project Manager (Clinical Trials)Leads clinical trial projects from initiation to closure. Ensures project goals are met on time and within budget. Communicates with stakeholders and manages project risks.
  • Clinical Program ManagerOversees multiple clinical trials within a program. Develops program strategies and goals. Coordinates resources and resolves program-level issues.
  • Clinical Operations ManagerManages clinical operations teams and activities. Ensures adherence to SOPs and regulatory guidelines. Develops and implements operational strategies.

Regulatory & quality

2 roles

  • Regulatory Affairs SpecialistPrepares and submits regulatory documents. Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements. Liaises with regulatory authorities.
  • Quality Assurance Manager (Clinical Trials)Oversees quality assurance processes for clinical trials. Conducts audits and inspections. Implements corrective and preventive actions.

Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC)

Conducting trials the GCP way

The Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) is responsible for conducting clinical trials using good clinical practice (GCP) under the auspices of the Principal Investigator (PI).

  1. 01All trials are conducted ethically, as defined by the Declaration of Helsinki, rigorously, as defined by the International Conference on Harmonization Guidelines (ICH).
  2. 02Benefits outweigh risks for each patient.
  3. 03Rights, safety and well-being of patients prevail over science.
  4. 04All available non-clinical and clinical information on any investigational agent can support the trial as designed.
  5. 05All trials are scientifically sound and clearly described.
  6. 06All clinical trials have current Institutional Review Board approval.
  7. 07Medical decisions and care are the responsibility of qualified health care professionals, specifically physicians and, if applicable, dentists.
  8. 08Everyone involved in the clinical trial is qualified by training, education and experience.
  9. 09All study documentation is recorded, handled and stored to allow accurate reporting, interpretation and verification.
  10. 10Confidentiality of subjects is respected and protected.
  11. 11Investigational products maintain Good Manufacturing Practice in storage, manufacturing and handling.
  12. 12Systems to ensure quality are implemented in all aspects of the trial.

Clinical Research Associate

What a Clinical Research Associate does

The CRA is a key participant in the design, implementation and monitoring of clinical trials, preparation of integrated medical reports, INDs, Investigational Device Exemptions (IDE), periodic reports, New Drug Applications (NDAs) etc.

01

Study design & set-up

  • Participates in design and writing of protocols, case report forms and informed consent forms for clinical trials.
  • Productive in recruitment/selection of new investigators, contract research organizations and outside vendors.

02

Site monitoring

  • Responsible for planning and implementing all activities required to conduct and monitor complex clinical trials and ensures that Good Clinical Practices (GCP) are followed.
  • Conducts site visits pre-study, at study initiation, at regular intervals during the study and at study closeout.
  • Monitors investigator performance and adherence to protocol, and proactively addresses conduct issues and enrollment problems, as necessary.

03

Data & reporting

  • Ensures that Case Report Forms (CRF) are reviewed in a timely fashion and submitted to the data management group.
  • Involved in the compilation/writing of integrated medical reports and clinical sections of INDs, IDEs, New Drug Applications (NDAs) etc.

04

Professional development

  • Assists in preparation of presentations and manuscripts of scientific meetings and technical journals.
  • Attends scientific/professional meetings and training courses as appropriate.

Videos

Learn more about careers in clinical research

From the CLINI INDIA YouTube channel.

Some of the Key Job Profiles in Clinical Research

Career in Clinical Research

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