Are you considering a career as a Clinical Research Associate (CRA)? There’s a lot to love about being a CRA, and it can be such a rewarding career path. Before you become a “road warrior” in the clinical research industry, here are some key aspects to ponder and insights to guide you through this rewarding journey.
Clinical Research Associate Skills and Qualifications
As you set your sights on becoming a CRA, it’s essential to equip yourself with the following skills and qualifications:
- Excellent Communication: Effective communication is paramount in this role, both in writing and verbally.
- Presentation Skills: The ability to articulate ideas clearly and concisely is crucial, especially during site initiation visits and study team meetings.
- Exceptional Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail is non-negotiable in monitoring the accuracy of data (Source Data/Document Verification).
- Multitasking and Critical Thinking: The ability to juggle multiple tasks while demonstrating critical thinking skills is key to success as a CRA.
- Flexibility and Accountability: Adaptability to varying responsibilities and being accountable for your actions are qualities highly valued in this role.
Responsibilities of a CRA
While a bachelor’s degree in life sciences is a common requirement, the industry is increasingly recognizing experience and exposure. This exposure includes completed industry trainings, certifications, internships, or roles such as clinical research coordinator (CRC) or research assistant. The CRA role involves a range of responsibilities, varying between employers and experience levels:
- Identifying and assessing the suitability of clinical trial sites.
- Selecting investigators for trial site responsibilities.
- Conducting site initiation visits to prepare trial sites for subject enrollment.
- Training site staff on trial-specific industry standards.
- Monitoring trials by regularly visiting sites and effectively managing issues.
- Verifying and ensuring timely data entry (Source Data/Document Verification).
- Documenting visit reports, confirmation and follow-up letters.
- Attending study team meetings and liaising with internal teams, investigators, and sponsors.
- Conducting study termination visits to close out site activities.
Advancing as a CRA
A great CRA not only follows instructions but also knows when to lead, effectively managing multiple site-related issues while fostering professional relationships. That leadership instinct comes with time and experience.
Advancing as a CRA involves taking on more responsibilities and challenges. Demonstrate a proactive mindset of “I see it, I own it,” addressing inefficiencies and providing ideas for process improvement. Career paths may lead to roles such as Senior CRA, Lead CRA, Clinical Research Manager, and Clinical Research Director. Many industry leaders got their start as a Clinical Research Associate.
The Perks of Being a CRA
Beyond the career advancement opportunities, being a CRA offers the unique opportunity to significantly contribute to the advancement of science. Your role in reviewing consent forms, verifying adverse events, ensuring patient safety, and training site staff directly impacts the success of the study and the progression of scientific knowledge. There’s a real sense of pride that you develop in seeing your work have a tangible impact on people’s lives.
Moreover, you can’t ignore the perks that come along with frequent travel! Meeting lifelong friends in different cities, racking up travel points, hotel and rental car perks, and gaining travel status—all of these benefits become part of your personal journey. Years after transitioning away from the CRA role, a lot of people find they can still enjoy the fruits of their travel-related perks, creating lasting memories for themselves and their families.
Starting Your Journey
Interested in becoming a Clinical Research Associate? If you’re a recent graduate with a degree in Life Sciences, Pharmaceuticals, Clinical Research, or Nursing looking to get started on your clinical research career, check out Parexel’s Emerging Talent page for more information. Programs such as APEX may be recruiting for specific backgrounds and subject matter expertise to help you get started as a CRA.
Perhaps you’re already working in clinical research and want to change roles to become a CRA. We recommend checking out Parexel Academy’s Virtual Postgraduate Certificate Program. Over the course of five months, our instructors will guide you across a wide variety of industry topics, preparing you to change roles and set your career off in a new direction.
Whatever you decide, be sure to embark on the CRA journey with a sense of purpose. You may find, as many others have, that this role not only changes lives but also leaves a lasting mark on your own.
