Clinical associate vs clinical research coordinator

The differences between clinical associates and clinical research coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical associate and a clinical research coordinator. Additionally, a clinical associate has an average salary of $91,027, which is higher than the $52,459 average annual salary of a clinical research coordinator.

The top three skills for a clinical associate include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for a clinical research coordinator are patients, informed consent, and IRB.

Clinical associate vs clinical research coordinator overview

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Coordinator
Yearly salary	$91,027	$52,459
Hourly rate	$43.76	$25.22
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	56,977	102,960
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a clinical associate do?

A clinical associate is responsible for supporting the operations of a medical facility by performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to provide high-quality care services for the patients and assisting health care professionals in performing medical procedures. Clinical associates monitor the conditions of the patients, administer medication, collect laboratory samples, and conduct initial medical assessments such as checking temperature and vital signs. A clinical associate must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on addressing different patients' needs and reporting the patients' progress to the physicians.

What does a clinical research coordinator do?

A clinical research coordinator is a healthcare professional responsible for administering clinical trials of drugs or medications. Clinical research coordinators work under the supervision of clinical research managers to collect data and help inform trial participants about the study's objectives. They must ensure that these trials have met all regulations, including drug safety, government regulations, and the organization's code of ethics. Clinical research coordinators must obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing and have at least two years of healthcare experience.

Clinical associate vs clinical research coordinator salary

Clinical associates and clinical research coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Coordinator
Average salary	$91,027	$52,459
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $208,000	Between $37,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Baltimore, MD	Richmond, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Washington
Best paying company	University of Iowa Center for Advancement	Genentech
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between clinical associate and clinical research coordinator education

There are a few differences between a clinical associate and a clinical research coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Clinical associate vs clinical research coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between clinical associates' and clinical research coordinators' demographics:

	Clinical Associate	Clinical Research Coordinator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0%	Male, 20.0% Female, 80.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 8.6% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 10.7% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between clinical associate and clinical research coordinator duties and responsibilities

Clinical associate example responsibilities.

Perform EKG's, placement of cardiac leads and telemetry unit (critical care only).
Manage patient caseload with emphasis in occupational rehabilitation
Assist nurses and doctors with procedures, EKG monitoring, clinical duties, clerical duties.
Assist with project plan management, FDA submission paperwork, and tracking of contingency plans / appropriate triggers.
Experience with communication with professional staff regarding pertinent observations concerning conditions of patients.
Participate in disease diagnosis and treatment in the department of internal medicine and pediatrics

Clinical research coordinator example responsibilities.

Assess study participants for adverse reactions or complications and manage side effects of chemotherapy and other study relate drugs.
Establish and maintain strong community partnerships to achieve HIV prevention objectives.
Direct acquisition and analysis of functional MRI research data following GCP and FDA regulations
Prepare and maintain IRB and regulatory documentation for various research projects and consent patients for clinical research.
Facilitate constant communication between principal investigators, oncology nurses, and patients to address concerns and maximize eligibility and enrollment.
Schedule patient for study procedures; initiate/coordinate drug orders, laboratory procedures and treatments for patients base on standing protocol orders.

Clinical associate vs clinical research coordinator skills

Common clinical associate skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Home Health, 6%
Vital Signs, 5%
CPR, 4%
Excellent Interpersonal, 4%

Common clinical research coordinator skills

Patients, 11%
Informed Consent, 10%
IRB, 7%
Data Collection, 5%
Research Projects, 4%
Patient Care, 4%

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Clinical Associate
Clinical Associate vs Clinical Research Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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