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What is a clinical research associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted Expert
David Simon
introduction image

Clinical research associates (CRA) oversee clinical trials and research studies, ensuring that research participants are safe and that data is collected accurately. CRAs work with sponsors, investigators, and study coordinators to ensure compliance with regulations and protocols. They typically have a background in life sciences or healthcare, and may hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree. Strong attention to detail, communication skills, and an understanding of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) are essential for success in this role.

What general advice would you give to a Clinical Research Associate?

David Simon

Professor, Stonehill College

When I was in college back, in ancient times, the default assumption was that undergraduates in physics would go on to graduate school and would then pursue academic careers in physics. The curriculum was therefore designed with that single goal in mind. In recent years, however, the range of career paths has considerably widened. A well-prepared recent graduate with a degree in physics has a number of non-academic options.

One considerable asset that physics students possess is a strong set of quantitative skills. Especially when coupled with some computational experience, this makes physics graduates a valuable commodity in many fields. For example, for decades, students with physics degrees have often found employment in finance-related industries.
More recently, physics and applied math students have been in strong demand in other areas such as epidemiology, pharmaceutical development, biomedical research, and machine learning, where facility at working with mathematical models of real-world phenomena is vital.

One skill that is widely overlooked, but essential for nearly all technical fields, is a facility with verbal and written communication. Nearly all technical jobs, whether academic, industrial or in government or nonprofit positions, will require constant writing and at least occasional public speaking on technical matters. A student who has taken classes to hone these skills will be at a distinct advantage.
ScoreClinical Research AssociateUS Average
Salary
4.9

Avg. Salary $62,966

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.6

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 13.03%

Black or African American 2.45%

Hispanic or Latino 13.70%

Unknown 7.39%

White 62.91%

Gender

female 71.65%

male 28.35%

Age - 43.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43.5
Stress Level
5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.5

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.3

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Clinical Research Associate?

Pros

  • Chance to work on cutting-edge research projects

  • Exposure to various therapeutic areas and drug development stages

  • Opportunity to travel domestically and internationally

  • Opportunity to work with a diverse group of professionals (physicians, scientists, etc.)

  • Possibility of contributing to the development of life-saving drugs and medical devices

Cons

  • High workload with tight timelines and long hours

  • A lot of pressure to meet regulatory requirements and guidelines

  • Working with human subjects can be emotionally challenging

  • Strict adherence to protocols can be tedious and repetitive

  • High level of responsibility with little room for error

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Clinical Research Associate career paths

Key steps to become a clinical research associate

  1. Explore clinical research associate education requirements

    Most common clinical research associate degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.5 %

    Master's

    17.1 %

    Associate

    7.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific clinical research associate skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients8.95%
    Informed Consent6.56%
    CRA5.65%
    Clinical Trials5.52%
    Clinical Trial Management5.05%
  3. Complete relevant clinical research associate training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinical research associates learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a clinical research associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinical research associate resumes.
  4. Gain additional clinical research associate certifications

    Clinical research associate certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific clinical research associate certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for clinical research associates include Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research clinical research associate duties and responsibilities

    • Manage, schedule and train up to 15 CRAs.
    • Recruit patients, attain patient inform consent form, educate subjects on compliance, and ensure patient safety per ICH guidelines.
    • Manage site TMF to ensure communication requirements adherence
    • Manage CRO and regional monitor to complete close out activities, including device accountability management.
  6. Prepare your clinical research associate resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinical research associate resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a clinical research associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Clinical Research Associate Resume templates

    Build a professional Clinical Research Associate resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Clinical Research Associate resume.
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    Clinical Research Associate Resume
  7. Apply for clinical research associate jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a clinical research associate job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Clinical Research Associate Job

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Average clinical research associate salary

The average Clinical Research Associate salary in the United States is $62,966 per year or $30 per hour. Clinical research associate salaries range between $43,000 and $91,000 per year.

Average Clinical Research Associate Salary
$62,966 Yearly
$30.27 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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