What does a clinical data analyst do?
A clinical data analyst is a healthcare professional trained in checking the validity of scientific experiments and gathered data. Clinical data analysts have a wide variety of responsibilities to fulfill. They ensure that standard processes and protocols are followed, and data is accurate and reliable to improve the best quality and efficiency of care. They ensure that the information has been collected appropriately for clinical trials from databases. Moreover, they manage and develop databases for healthcare facilities and commonly work in a clinical setting.
Clinical data analyst responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real clinical data analyst resumes:
- Manage clinical data projects for late-phase oncology studies (in-house and outsource).
- Manage governance and permissions of SharePoint Intranet as well as data and reporting systems.
- Serve as a client contact person for project meetings and CDM status updates and managing external vendors.
- Handle post-trial activities and provide training relate to project specifics and ICH GCP.
- Created/Modify user acceptance testing (UAT) scripts and perform any require UAT testing.
- Perform UAT to ensure test data entry is as expected and create test data entry reports.
- Perform statistical analysis on data and interpret results for various research projects using MySQL and SAS programming.
- Perform early and final database QC activities.
- Create macro to ensure the variables are as per CDISC guidelines.
- Perform QC review of the data and make appropriate corrections to database.
- Formulate procedures for data extraction, transformation and integration of health care data.
- Create SDTM datasets under Unix and safety tables, graphs verification Ganaxolone study.
- Author, prepare oncology clinical safety reports and maintaining clinical trial, reserch databases.
- Generate, track, and resolve data clarification forms (DCFs) and queries.
- Provide advisement for design, testing, implementation and support of software data extraction applications.
Clinical data analyst skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Clinical Data Analysts are proficient in Patients, Data Analysis, and Data Collection. They’re also known for soft skills such as Math skills, Communication skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Clinical Data Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 12%
Developed various case detection algorithms to identify Patients with severe diseases like pneumonia & cancer to automatically alert the clinicians.
- Data Analysis, 11%
Prepared reports that included data analysis and identification of any patterns/trends through the use of appropriate descriptive statistical tools.
- Data Collection, 8%
Develop data collection and reporting tools in Access in addition to creating regulatory documentation and operational compliance plans.
- SAS, 6%
Conducted hypotheses study to compare product effectiveness with competitor by analysis clinical trial data with SAS.
- Process Improvement, 5%
Provided physician and nurse education focusing on process improvement of clinical quality and resource utilization.
- Data Quality, 4%
Review clinical data ensuring data quality and integrity; upon completion of data review, make recommendation for locking/finalizing the database.
Common skills that a clinical data analyst uses to do their job include "patients," "data analysis," and "data collection." You can find details on the most important clinical data analyst responsibilities below.
Math skills. One of the key soft skills for a clinical data analyst to have is math skills. You can see how this relates to what clinical data analysts do because "mathematicians and statisticians use statistics, calculus, and linear algebra to develop their models and analyses." Additionally, a clinical data analyst resume shows how clinical data analysts use math skills: "implement and coordinate qualitative and quantitative data collection/abstraction processes related to maintaining program accreditation. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling clinical data analyst duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "mathematicians and statisticians must be able to explain technical concepts and solutions in nontechnical ways." According to a clinical data analyst resume, here's how clinical data analysts can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "design and administer department sharepoint site to support project cooperation and department communication. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of clinical data analysts is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday clinical data analyst duties, as "mathematicians and statisticians must devise solutions to problems encountered in science, engineering, and other fields." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "participated in intra-network technical evaluations for new corporate data warehouse solution and business intelligence tool. "
Analytical skills. clinical data analyst responsibilities often require "analytical skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "mathematicians and statisticians use mathematical techniques and models to evaluate large amounts of data." This resume example shows what clinical data analysts do with analytical skills on a typical day: "worked with team members to create reports to submit to the fda upon final analysis of clinical drug trials. "
The three companies that hire the most clinical data analysts are:
- Queens Health Systems15 clinical data analysts jobs
- Northwell Health7 clinical data analysts jobs
- RWJBarnabas Health6 clinical data analysts jobs
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Clinical data analyst vs. Data management associate
A data management associate is responsible for maintaining and updating databases, spreadsheets, documents, and other data storage systems while adhering to company standards and protocols. Their daily tasks usually include gathering and organizing data, conducting reviews to identify errors or inconsistencies, taking corrective measures, and producing regular reports, presenting them to managers. They may also participate in troubleshooting issues, planning data migration procedures, and enforcing data security protocols. Moreover, a data management associate must be proactive at dealing with issues to maintain an optimal workflow.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, clinical data analyst responsibilities require skills like "patients," "process improvement," "quality improvement," and "patient safety." Meanwhile a typical data management associate has skills in areas such as "data entry," "clinical data," "commercial banking," and "sops." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Data management associates tend to make the most money working in the media industry, where they earn an average salary of $127,370. In contrast, clinical data analysts make the biggest average salary, $88,310, in the retail industry.The education levels that data management associates earn slightly differ from clinical data analysts. In particular, data management associates are 4.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a clinical data analyst. Additionally, they're 3.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clinical data analyst vs. Data management specialist
A data management specialist is responsible for performing administrative functions related to data processing operations, such as updating the information in the database, proper disposal of outdated documents, and ensuring the security of confidential information in the system. Data management specialists collect data and manage data flow and disseminate information across the organization. They also sort files according to business requirements and send information to the senior management and other departments for business operations as required.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that clinical data analyst responsibilities requires skills like "patients," "quality improvement," "patient safety," and "emr." But a data management specialist might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "data entry," "database systems," "visualization," and "product data management."
Data management specialists may earn a higher salary than clinical data analysts, but data management specialists earn the most pay in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $101,442. On the other hand, clinical data analysts receive higher pay in the retail industry, where they earn an average salary of $88,310.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Data management specialists tend to reach lower levels of education than clinical data analysts. In fact, they're 7.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 3.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clinical data analyst vs. Analyst
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from clinical data analyst resumes include skills like "patients," "data quality," "statistical analysis," and "quality improvement," whereas an analyst is more likely to list skills in "customer service," "troubleshoot," "project management," and "strong analytical. "
Analysts earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $79,330. Clinical data analysts earn the highest pay from the retail industry, with an average salary of $88,310.Most analysts achieve a lower degree level compared to clinical data analysts. For example, they're 5.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clinical data analyst vs. Clinical data management associate director
Clinical data management associate directors manage a customer relationship management system in PHP and MySQL. They hold staff meetings, manage staff, and evaluate performances. It is their responsibility to develop department standard operating procedures, create practical practices for data architecture, and instigate executive sponsorship across the domain and business district. They create procedures in an environment where no previous data management support is available. These directors should be equipped with leadership, analytical, and mathematical skills.
Types of clinical data analyst
Updated January 8, 2025











