A day as a Clinical Research Associate
Editorial Team410|0Last Updated:01:53 pm, May 08, 2012
A Clinical Research Associate (CRA) is the most common entry-level position for graduates in Clinical Research.
What does the job involve?
A CRA manages the clinical trial site assigned to them. You need to:
- prepare documents for the ethics committee
- review the consent process
- makie sure clinical trials are conducted according to standard operating procedures.
Basically you need to make sure that health and safety patients taking the clinical trials are protected.
When does the day begin?
When travelling, CRAs take early morning flights to the site. If not visiting a site, then you start at 9 am.
Describe a day that involves travel…
You have to get to the airport early to take the first flight out. You are taken straight to the site where you meet with the Study Coordinator who is responsible for preparing the investigator site files, case report forms, source notes and related paperwork.
The Source Verification starts next where you compare the data with the case report forms. Then you perform drug accountancy activities – taking stock of used drugs, expired drugs and shipments compared to your last visit.
After that, it’s a meeting with the Principal Investigator where you discuss any queries you have with the trial. Then you head to the airport for the flight home.
What do you do when not travelling?
Filing documents from the site, writing reports reports, calling sites that you haven’t visited recently and attending training programs.
Which companies hire CRAs in India?
Quintiles, Merck, ClinInvent, Sanofi Aventis, Pfizer among others.
Where can I study to be a CRA?
For a list of institutes offering Clinical Research, click here.
You may also like to know about Clinical Research salaries
(Follow regular updates and share stories by indiancolleges on Facebook and on Twitter)
Image courtesy: photos.com
Post your comments
Comments are moderated and will be removed, if they are off-topic and abusive.Login with
[Will be displayed]
[Will not be displayed]
[Will not be displayed]