Clinical Research:
As we struggle to help identify a clear career pathway for those who want to become clinical research associates, I often wonder about the unsung heroes in our industry. I also wonder why these unsung heroes don’t get as much visibility as CRAs because their jobs are so incredibly important!
The first role that comes to mind is that of a Study Coordinator. I feel the role of a clinical research coordinator (CRC) is one of the most important in our industry. The CRC is often the first person a study participant will meet and their compassionate engagement with patients can make or break a study.
The TMF Specialist is also a critical role…especially in our current electronic world. We teamed up with Nicole Palmer to dig into the role of the TMF specialist. Nicole is the CEO and founder of Granular Level as well as the Host of TMF Daily Podcast. She peels back the veil on the day-to-day function of the TMF specialist role including how to successfully navigate into this particular career path.
And there are so many other critical roles within our industry: In-House CRAs, Clinical Trial Assistants, Data Entry Specialists, and Startup Specialists to just name a few. These various roles not only have an impact on our industry but also the recruited subjects and their family. Join us as we sing the praises (and discuss the career paths) of these industry-specific unsung heroes.
How do you get into being study start up specialist position with no experience in this area.?
Carolyn, it is hard to answer without knowing your background (i.e., without seeing your CV), but many roads can lead to becoming a startup specialist. Without knowing your background (and making some assumptions about what type of role you currently have)…if you already hold a job in the industry, consider starting out by volunteering your time with whomever performs the startup specialist tasks in your company.
Yep – volunteer. Or shadow. Don’t abandon your day job, but volunteer to participate in what goes on within the role and then knock their socks off.