Question to those who are Clinical Research Coordinators

[Bored_Conscious]

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Will be taking a gap year and it seems that a CRC is my best option in regards to making a decent salary since money is an issue for me.

Overall day to day job I assume would be similar regardless of whether or not I am a CRC at a major hospital (UTSW or Baylor for example) or a private company. However, I would also like opportunities to get published and what not due to my involvement in the process.

I can only assume that being a CRC at a major hospital affiliated with a medical school gives me better opportunities than a private company would? Please correct me if I am wrong.

If a private company offers the same opportunities, then I would prefer a private company rather than a major hospital affiliated with a medical school because they seem to be more lenient with requirements and pay seems to be better.

 

[deleted1009115]

Not a CRC, but I’ve been a clinical research assistant for a few years now. In terms of publishing, I don’t think the company matters as much as the group you are working with and the type of research you are coordinating. If you are coordinating clinical research for a group that does smaller projects and publishes often, there’s a much higher chance of getting published compared to working on a giant multi-site drug trial (for example).

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Not a CRC, but I’ve been a clinical research assistant for a few years now. In terms of publishing, I don’t think the company matters as much as the group you are working with and the type of research you are coordinating. If you are coordinating clinical research for a group that does smaller projects and publishes often, there’s a much higher chance of getting published compared to working on a giant multi-site drug trial (for example).

That's good to know. Has a CRA position been stimulating/interesting for you? Do you enjoy it?

 

[deleted1009115]

That's good to know. Has a CRA position been stimulating/interesting for you? Do you enjoy it?

Yes, I love it! For reference, I’m at a major research/teaching hospital. For me it has been a great way to interact with patients and physicians in multiple specialties and to see how research and clinical care intersect. I’ve also been lucky enough to have the opportunity for several posters and publications. The only downside is the pay (my hospital is notorious for underpaying staff), which I’m sure would be higher at a private company.

 

[darkeon]

Hi, CRA here myself also at a big research/academic hospital. I do share the sentiment from the poster above that it is a good way to interact with patients, physicians and other members of the clinical team. Just note that some CR roles may be more desk-bound than patient-interactive. It may start off just having recruit participants and collect simple measures of data but that's important as any other part of research. I'm lucky enough to work in-patient but other positions may just be working at an out-patient clinic which isn't a bad thing either, but just something to note. No major complaints about pay despite living in an expensive city. The rate of publishing will vary with the type of research done. If anything you might do more posters.

A well polished CRC working in hot fields will earn a lot more or ascend into higher positions (with the higher pay that naturally follows). Hard for a premed undergrad to become one so quickly unless undergrad years were heavily invested in research time. For this, you may find peers who are aiming at grad school or are in grad school to be stronger with their research skills. take the opportunity to learn from them. Oh, and if you can learn some data analysis and software, you'll look pretty sexy. Academic institutions usually have some sort of continuing education workshops for RCs.

Mmm, being part of an institute has it perks. I have though met one RC who was a temp assigned by an agency. He was a floater RC sent to various institutions in need of RC service. I guess it was cool in that he diversified himself in many different types of studies, doing cardiology to infectious disease and so forth. Plus he didn't have to commit himself too heavily and this gave him to proceed his dreams. Believe it or not CRC was a side hustle for him. He was an aspiring artist who would go to auditions and sing haha. He had a background in science and music from college.

I love my job. If it's already offered to you, great. If not, don't feel like it's the only job in the world especially if a higher paying job is around. CRC seems to be great for those pursing grad school. As for med school, I've seen few get into med school but no major research med school, and a few others not get accepted and ended up going to the Caribbean despite having published a hundred manuscripts lol so take that for what you will.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Yes, I love it! For reference, I’m at a major research/teaching hospital. For me it has been a great way to interact with patients and physicians in multiple specialties and to see how research and clinical care intersect. I’ve also been lucky enough to have the opportunity for several posters and publications. The only downside is the pay (my hospital is notorious for underpaying staff), which I’m sure would be higher at a private company.

Good to know. Thanks for letting me know!

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Hi, CRA here myself also at a big research/academic hospital. I do share the sentiment from the poster above that it is a good way to interact with patients, physicians and other members of the clinical team. Just note that some CR roles may be more desk-bound than patient-interactive. It may start off just having recruit participants and collect simple measures of data but that's important as any other part of research. I'm lucky enough to work in-patient but other positions may just be working at an out-patient clinic which isn't a bad thing either, but just something to note. No major complaints about pay despite living in an expensive city. The rate of publishing will vary with the type of research done. If anything you might do more posters.

A well polished CRC working in hot fields will earn a lot more or ascend into higher positions (with the higher pay that naturally follows). Hard for a premed undergrad to become one so quickly unless undergrad years were heavily invested in research time. For this, you may find peers who are aiming at grad school or are in grad school to be stronger with their research skills. take the opportunity to learn from them. Oh, and if you can learn some data analysis and software, you'll look pretty sexy. Academic institutions usually have some sort of continuing education workshops for RCs.

Mmm, being part of an institute has it perks. I have though met one RC who was a temp assigned by an agency. He was a floater RC sent to various institutions in need of RC service. I guess it was cool in that he diversified himself in many different types of studies, doing cardiology to infectious disease and so forth. Plus he didn't have to commit himself too heavily and this gave him to proceed his dreams. Believe it or not CRC was a side hustle for him. He was an aspiring artist who would go to auditions and sing haha. He had a background in science and music from college.

I love my job. If it's already offered to you, great. If not, don't feel like it's the only job in the world especially if a higher paying job is around. CRC seems to be great for those pursing grad school. As for med school, I've seen few get into med school but no major research med school, and a few others not get accepted and ended up going to the Caribbean despite having published a hundred manuscripts lol so take that for what you will.

Thank you for the detailed response! I'm mostly using CRC as an opportunity to earn some money since most other options (scribe, ma, PCT, etc.) Don't pay very well.

It seems CRC would be the only job I would qualify for and still make a relatively decent salary. I will be applying this upcoming cycle, so I'm not planning on using CRC as part of my application. (Unless I end up a reapp. Of course which is why I ask about publishing and what not)

 

[darkeon]

Thank you for the detailed response! I'm mostly using CRC as an opportunity to earn some money since most other options (scribe, ma, PCT, etc.) Don't pay very well.

It seems CRC would be the only job I would qualify for and still make a relatively decent salary. I will be applying this upcoming cycle, so I'm not planning on using CRC as part of my application. (Unless I end up a reapp. Of course which is why I ask about publishing and what not)

Seems like a fitting choice then

 

[deleted1025488]

I'm not a coordinator but did 2 years of clinical research as a late freshmen>junior in college. I emailed groups that had high output/publications when I got on campus. At the end of the day, I did get my name on a few pubs and 1st author on one of them, but the research was honestly boring and was mainly me just coding middle-school level material in STATA and then running the same analysis over and over again, then just writing some conclusion and method analysis about trends/disparities that a high schooler could have probably written on the fly. Not sure how that will look in the eyes of AOs compared to people who did more hefty research like bio basic sciences or whatnot, but yeah. If you're set on publications I think looking at output is a good place to start.