What is a Clinicals Research Specialist

Career

Jul 5

Clinical research specialists play a pivotal role in the realm of healthcare, collaborating within laboratory settings alongside technologists, technicians, and supervisors to conduct crucial clinical lab tests. These professionals are instrumental in the discovery, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of various illnesses. While their specific responsibilities may vary based on training and workplace, they typically focus on specialized lab tests or procedures, such as bacteria or parasite identification, fluid analysis, drug level testing, specimen preparation, cell counting, and culture creation. Apart from technical proficiency, they are equipped with essential communication, interpersonal, individualized, and precision skills.

JOB SPECIFICS OF A CLINICAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST

Enrollment Tracking and Documentation: Clinical research specialists meticulously track the enrollment status of subjects and document dropout information to ensure study integrity.
Continuous Learning: They stay abreast of the latest developments in clinical studies by reviewing scientific literature, attending conferences, and seminars.
Problem Identification and Resolution: Identifying protocol issues, informing investigators, and contributing to problem resolution efforts are integral aspects of their role.
Documentation Preparation: These professionals prepare various study-related documents, including protocol worksheets, procedural manuals, adverse event reports, and progress reports.
Collaboration: They collaborate with healthcare professionals to devise effective recruitment strategies for studies.
Quality Assurance: Participating in quality assurance audits and managing research budgets are part of their responsibilities.
Protocol Review: Reviewing proposed study protocols and assessing factors like sample collection processes and subject eligibility is crucial.
Subject Recruitment: Assessing potential subjects' eligibility, developing advertising materials, and maintaining contact with sponsors for recruitment purposes are key tasks.
Salary Insights: The national average salary for clinical research specialists is $52,437.

Clinical research specialists have diverse employment opportunities, including roles in:

Pharmaceutical companies
Government-based organizations like the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Health charities

If you aspire to join this dynamic field, consider enhancing your skills and knowledge with courses from CCRPS (Clinical Research Professional Society). Explore our comprehensive offerings to embark on a fulfilling career journey:

Clinical Research Coordinator: Course Link
Pharmacovigilance Certification: Course Link
CRA (Clinical Research Associate): Course Link
ICH-GCP (International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use - Good Clinical Practice): Course Link
Clinical Trials Assistant Training: Course Link
Advanced Clinical Research Project Manager Certification: Course Link
Advanced Principal Investigator Physician Certification: Course Link
Medical Monitor Certification: Course Link