The medicines that many of us take today would not be possible without clinical trials. Clinical trials, in turn, depend on the resilience and determination of researchers who conduct the trials. Clinical researchers devote their time, effort, and talents to determine whether an investigational medicine can become a viable treatment or care option for the public. For people who are interested in science, innovation, and making a tangible difference with their work, a career in clinical research could be just what you’re looking for.
If you’re thinking about becoming a clinical researcher, it might be hard to know where to begin. We’ve outlined several resources to help you understand what to expect in a clinical research role:
ACRP
Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) offers certifications to benefit your clinical research career, provides information for you to find a job, and has a free online training course to get you acquainted with what to expect.
Advarra
Advarra provides information about compliance in clinical research and offers a breakdown of their top 10 most valuable educational content of 2020. These articles cover everything from how to develop a clinical trial budget, to research staffing strategies, to webinars on building trust with patient engagement in clinical trials.
Actalent’s Blog
Actalent is a recruiting agency that shares tips on what their clients look for in clinical research associate (CRA) candidates. This blog maps out how someone can get into this line of work, the job market for CRAs, whether education or experience is more important for candidates to possess, and other factors and skills that candidates should consider. It’s a helpful overview of what you should prepare for when beginning your job search.
FDA
What’s the difference between Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4 clinical trials? You should understand the steps of drug development before heading into the field. That’s where the FDA comes in, with its useful breakdown of each step, as well as what a researcher would be doing throughout the process.
Medical Technology Schools
Medical Technology Schools outlines the various education, skills, and certifications you need for a variety of medical professions, including clinical research associate. Each step is spelled out clearly, and the guide offers information on clinical research programs.
National Cancer Institute
Want to conduct research for cancer clinical trials? National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers resources for researchers that you can browse by tool type (for example, analysis tools, databases, community research tools) and research area (for example, cancer biology, cancer treatment, screening and detection) so you can find relevant information.
NYU Langone Health
If you’re interested in becoming a clinical researcher, there may be prerequisite certifications that you need, depending on your role. NYU Langone Health offers various courses and certifications such as the CITI Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Course that you may want to explore.
SCRS
Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) helps those looking to grow their clinical research skills. As a professional organization for investigators and study coordinators at clinical research sites, SCRS offers various types of information, including webinars, summits, a career center, and more.
SOCRA
If you’re looking for education, certification, and networking opportunities, the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) is a helpful organization to explore. They offer testing to become a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and share various courses, webinars, and events to look into as you’re seeking to deepen your professional knowledge.
We hope this list provides a helpful starting point for those of you considering a career in clinical research. Reach out to us via direct message on Twitter to let us know if you found these resources helpful or have others you would recommend.