Pros and Cons of being a Clinical Research Associate (CRA)

CRA pros and cons. #ClinicalResearchAssociate #CRA
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[@NYcDcG]

Are you going to the same sites every week during a trial, or every week a different place? I'm new to the field and starting a new job as a trial assistant this week. I'm interested in moving to the CRA position after I get comfortable, and the travel sounds very interesting to me!

[@MarioDeSouza]

There's a monitoring plan that tells you how frequently to go to a site. Most common for oncology is 6-8 weeks so you would go to the same site about every other month. You'd almost never go to the same site for the same trial in two consecutive weeks (there are a few rare exceptions).

[@gutskenpachi2358]

how much time are you given to read up and learn whenever you start a new study? How competitive is it to get a position, how much growth does the field have?

[@MarioDeSouza]

I don't think there's a general rule of thumb in terms of study training. It depends on complexity of the study and the study needs. I've had as little as a few days to several weeks. I'd say, on average one to two weeks. Getting your first CRA position seems impossible. Took me several months. Once you have your first position under your belt getting subsequent positions is easier. There's as much growth as you want. Many CRAs go on to become trial managers and you I know several that are now directors at different CROs/pharma companies. I really enjoy monitoring and mentoring people (hence this channel) so I have stuck with it.

[@gutskenpachi2358]

@@MarioDeSouza Thank you very much for your quick response! I just learned about this position and am very interested in in. My background is a BS of biophysics, would I still need experience in CRC to sucessfully apply? When I was asking about growth I was primarily looking to see if the CRA job market was generally growing or shrinking.

[@MarioDeSouza]

@@gutskenpachi2358: You'll need at least one year of experience as a CRC or CTA to become a CRA (I generally recommend two years). There are a ton of CRA positions out there and there seem to be more and more each year. I get contacted several times a day about positions. In my experience people either really love or really hate being CRAs. There's always plenty of turnover at major CROs which results in many openings.

[@justinangeles4192]

@@MarioDeSouza do you find this is the case for RN (Registered Nurses) going into CRA positions or do you still recommend CRC route first? Can you offer some insite into more international roles? I'm a USA citizen living abroad and living in Swizterland. I am interested in transitioning from bedside nursing into research. Any advice. Thank you

[@MarioDeSouza]

@@justinangeles4192: As a nurse, I'd try for a CRO bridge program (usually for CRC to CRA but they do take people with healthcare backgrounds as well). I think there's a lot of lingo around clinical research where a CRC or CTA position is very helpful. I'd recommend shooting to become a research nurse at a hospital for a year and then breaking into CROs/pharma that way. However, that's only one viable path. It really depends on your long-term goal. You can also try and get into project management. I can't really speak to international positions. I do know there's a lot of pharma in Switzerland. I'd recommend trying to contact a local company (or someone that recruits for them) and ask what their recommended path is to get to the position you want.

[@munirasalim]

Are there lots of opportunities for in house CRA?I want to get into the field but I'm not a fan of travelling.

[@MarioDeSouza]

It depends on where you live. If you're in NJ, MA, NY, NC or CA there should be lots of options. Where I am, in FL, they are virtually nonexistent. My recommendation would be to go the CTA to project manager route if you're not into traveling. Many CROs are starting to take on virtual CTAs.

[@munirasalim]

@@MarioDeSouza Thank you for the response.

[@user-es5jq6yy9l]

is there anything in clinical research for pharmacists, entry level that does not require more than 25% travel?

[@MarioDeSouza]

Absolutely. Tons of job. I would recommend looking through the job descriptions and see what interests you. You have lots of options (too many to list). I mentioned in my latest video starting as a Clinical Research Coordinator, Clinical Trials Associate or in-House CRA. Those would all not involve travel. You could also look at positions for remote monitoring. With your background, you'd be useful as an unblinded CRA looking at IP in pharmacies. You could also look into project management. The vast majority of jobs in clinical research don't require much travel. It's really only the Clinical Research Associate that often times requires up to 75% travel. As a project manager you may go to a meeting every few months but not too much more than that. If something catches your eye and you need insight on the day-to-day feel free to reach out.

[@user-es5jq6yy9l]

@@MarioDeSouza I am a PharmD, (graduate pharmacist) but still working on getting licensed. Does it matter if I am licensed in my state or not to be a CRA? I am seeking something with minimal travel as I have young children to support. I also noticed there is a huge variation in salary among CRAs ranging from 45k-100k+. Can you please explain why there is so much variability in salaries and what is an expected salary for entry level CRA? There is a posting that caught my eye, and is an entry level position, but it states I need "1 year experience with regulatory documentation for clinical studies." How can I obtain such experience? What specific certifications or experiences do you recommend to secure a position? Would you recommend to be a CRC first and then a CRA? You have also mentioned unblinded CRA positions looking at IP in pharmacies. If you can be so kind to post an example of the job description that would be also very helpful. \

[@MarioDeSouza]

@@user-es5jq6yy9l: If you're not ultimately looking to travel, my recommendation would be to look for a Clinical Trials Associate position. From there you can go into project management as an Assistant Project Manager or Clinical Trials Manager. If you want to become a CRA, the standard route is to first become a Study Coordinator. You'll likely need that experience to get to an unblinded CRA role. An alternative is in-house CRA role. Sometimes coordinator roles are listed as CRA at site (this is a coordinator role and would be be on the lower end of the pay spectrum). Clinical Trials Associate generally make a bit more. I wouldn't worry about pay for your first year. It's more important to get experience. For anything asking for 1 year of experience or less, I think it's fine to apply without that direct experience.

[@kishorkumawat2876]

Sir what is the salary of CRA

[@MarioDeSouza]

Salaries for CRAs start at $65-$75k. Most CRAs have at least two years of prior experience as a study coordinator.

[@joewalsh4685]

You would be better off being an RN, looking after patients, being a CRA long time sucks.

[@MarioDeSouza]

I'm going on 13 yrs as a CRA an absolutely love it. Personally, I hate having to touch people so I wouldn't last a day as a RN.