If you have a life sciences, medical sciences or nursing degree, you can put this to good use by becoming a clinical research associate (CRA). CRAs are involved in clinical drug research in a competitive but growing field and generally require a medical background to meet the requirements of the job.
In a nutshell, a CRA is responsible for running clinical trials to test drug efficiency, risks and benefits. The main aim of these trials is to determine whether a drug is safe and should be allowed on the market.
Clinical trials have been in the news a lot recently as companies aim to make them more accessible, with the demand for CRAs ever growing.
CRA responsibilities
You may find a job as a CRA Paid Medical Trials company, or you may be head hunted or have to apply via the usual channels. Regardless of how you seek employment in this field, you will need to be aware upfront of the job specs and requirements.
As a CRA you would be employed by a contract research organisation that works on behalf of a pharmaceutical company or by a pharmaceutical company direct. You would be involved in all stages of clinical trials and would take an active role in setting up an investigational site, including initiating, monitoring and closing the trial at its conclusion.
Typical CRA tasks
Depending on the drug and trial, you may be called upon to complete a number of tasks. Typically, these will include developing and writing protocols that outline the methodology and purpose of the trial, presenting the protocol to a steering committee and designing case report forms. Paid Medical Trials from Trials 4 Us and other companies operating in the same sector help to provide new treatments and medication for a number of different medical and health conditions.
You will also be called upon to coordinate with an ethics committee that safeguards all trial patients’ rights, safety and wellbeing, and manage any marketing or media interest in the new drug. You will also have to identify and assess suitable facilities and liaise with the doctors and nurses involved in the trial. As you will be working in an investigative field, you will be required to document all processes and procedures and compile reports on progress, efficiency and other factors of the trials.
A CRA position is interesting and challenging; however, the right candidate will need to be a specific type of person with set skills.a
