Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic, which affected everyone’s lives around the globe, reemphasized and taught us all, the value of the clinical research industry by bringing up not just one, but multiple vaccines. Through this challenging yet fulfilling career, professionals are continuously looking for solutions to tackle diseases that were once thought to be incurable. Interestingly, the field, being interdisciplinary in nature, can be explored by students from diverse backgrounds including non-medical students. Moreover, the career offers lucrative income for the ones with the relevant expertise and skills to excel in the field.
This article discusses everything about a career in clinical research in India. Read on!
Educational Qualifications Required
In India, there are primarily three types of clinical research programs, which are described below:
Degree Courses: Undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral-level degree programs are available. The duration of these programs usually varies from 2 to 5 years.
Diploma Courses: UG and PG Diploma courses are also available which can be completed in 10 months to 2 years.
Certificate Programs: Certificate programs are offered at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Their duration usually varies from 3-12 months.
Note: The minimum qualification to work as a clinical researcher is a graduate’s degree in biomedical-related fields like medicine or life science. However. some positions may require a Masters, a Ph.D., or relevant experience based on the job profile.
Undergraduate Degree Courses
Course Name
|
Duration
|
Average Fees
|
B.Sc. in Clinical Research
|
3 years
|
INR 20,000 - 3,50,000
|
B.Sc in Life sciences
|
3 years
|
INR 10,000-1.50,000
|
B.Sc. Clinical Research & Healthcare Management
|
3 years
|
INR 40,000- 3,50,000
|
Source: Collegedunia
Eligibility for Undergraduate Courses
-
Students must have completed class 10+2 or equivalent examination from any recognized school or board with at least 50% marks.
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Students must have Chemistry, Biology, and Physics as their primary subjects in their class 12th.
-
Entrance examinations for the courses are also conducted wherein students have to clear the minimum cut-off as stated by the respective colleges.
Diploma Courses
Course Name
|
Duration
|
Average Fees
|
Diploma in Clinical Research
|
10-12 months
|
INR 10,000 - 1,50,000
|
PG Diploma in Clinical Research
|
12 months
|
INR 20,000 - 1,50,000
|
PG Diploma in Advanced Clinical Research
|
10 months
|
|
Advanced PG Diploma in Clinical Research
|
6 months- 2 years
|
INR 35,000 - 2,00,000
|
Source: Collegedunia
Eligibility for Undergraduate Diploma Courses
The eligibility for diploma courses may differ from course to course. While some courses may require students to have passed 10+2 in Physics, Biology, and Chemistry with atleast 50% marks, others may require completion of graduation in a relevant discipline with at least 55% marks. Some courses may even require students to clear entrance exams conducted by different universities.
Certificate Courses
Certificate name
|
Provider
|
Duration
|
Fees
|
Clinical Research Certification Program
|
ICRI
|
3 months (60 hours)
|
INR 30,000
|
Clinical Research Certification Program for Investigators
|
ICRI
|
3 months (60 hours)
|
INR 30,000
|
Industry Certificate in Clinical Research
|
IGMPI - Faculty of Clinical Research
|
3 months
|
INR 32, 500
|
Online Clinical Research Training & Placement Course
|
CRBTech
|
6 months
|
INR 95,000
|
Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR)
|
NIH
|
12 months
|
N/A
|
Source: Shiksha, Official websites of respective providers
Eligibility for Certificate Courses:
The eligibility for certificate courses may differ from course to course. While some courses may require students to have passed 10+2, others may require completion of graduation in a science subject. Some courses may even require some experience in the field.
Postgraduate and Doctoral Degree Courses
Course Name
|
Duration
|
Average Fees
|
M.Sc. in Clinical Research
|
2 years
|
INR 5000 - 2,00,000
|
Ph.D. in Clinical Research
|
3-5 years
|
INR 6000 - 3,00,000
|
MA in Clinical Psychology
|
2 years
|
INR 1,00,000 - 3,00,000
|
Source: GetMyUni
Eligibility for Postgraduate and Doctoral Degree Courses:
-
To pursue PG courses, one must score at least 55% marks in graduation in a relevant discipline.
-
To pursue Doctoral courses, one must complete a master's in a relevant discipline with a minimum of 55% marks from a recognized university.
Top Clinical Research Colleges In India
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Institute of Clinical Research [ICRI], New Delhi
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Institute of Clinical Research [ICRI], Bangalore
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Apeejay Stya University, School of Bioscience, Gurgaon
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Institute of Clinical Research [ICRI], Dehradun
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Institution of Clinical Research [ICRI], Mumbai
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Institute of Clinical Research [ICRI], Ahmedabad
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Indus University, Ahmedabad
Scope Of A Career As A Clinical Researcher
The field offers several key positions for those interested in using their skills to improve healthcare and advance scientific research. A clinical researcher can work in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract research organisations (CROs), academic and research institutions, Non-Profit Organisations, private and government hospitals, and government agencies. Excellent students can even get recruited by popular institutions such as AIIMS or foreign institutes.
Job Profiles In Clinical Research
Job Profiles
|
Description
|
Clinical Research Associate
|
The key responsibilities for this entry-level position include designing, implementing, and monitoring clinical trials and ensuring compliance with clinical trial protocols.
|
Clinical Research Managers
|
The responsibilities include drafting and supervising study designs, generating case reports, and informed consent forms for clinical trials. They may also include mentoring clinical research staff, and approving budgets, and regulatory documents.
|
Clinical Trials Auditors
|
Clinical trial auditors conduct audits to assure compliance with the regulations in established guidelines.
|
Drug Safety Associate
|
Work of a Drug Safety Associate involves managing and relaying drug safety information and summarize clinical safety data.
|
Clinical Research Coordinator
|
This entry-level job in clinical research involves working along with a Principle Investigator to support, facilitate, and coordinate all the clinical trials while ensuring the quality and safety of clinical trials. His duty also involves ensuring that all clinical research activities are conducted in compliance with regulatory authorities and sponsor policies.
|
Clinical Data Manager (CDM)
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A CDM has to collect data from various medical research projects and research on critical aspects based on clinical trials, along with managing the data well, and preparing reports, data charts, and other medical presentations for the management or research team.
|
Regulatory Affairs Manager (RAM)
|
A RAM has the responsibility to communicate with various pharmaceutical companies and government agencies to bridge the gap between them, and to ensure legal compliances, track legislation processes, and register documents for filing.
|
Biostatisticians
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A biostatistician performs statistical and programming designed to statistically analyze the cause of issues affecting a living organism. He is also responsible for the submission of Biological License Applications and New Drug Applications, preparing statistical input, summaries, and reports based on his research, and interpreting final clinical trial data.
|
Roles And Responsibilities
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Conducting a systematic study of new drug compositions for determining safety and efficacy
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Conducting human trials, identifying and verifying clinical, and pharmacological factors, and adverse effects from the data collected
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Maintaining required records of study activity, including case report forms, drug dispensation records, or regulatory forms
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Monitoring study activities to ensure compliance with protocols
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Communicating with laboratories or investigators regarding laboratory findings and handling paperwork
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Recruitment and screening of participants suitable for the target study
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Briefing the participants and investigating team on how to conduct the trials
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Submission of all the relevant documents to funding organizations upon study completion
Skills Required
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Communication skills
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Strong decision making
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Patience and Attention to detail
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Coordinating and Cooperating Skills
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Laboratory, Analytical and Mathematical skills
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Time management and organization skills
Expected Salary And Remuneration
Job Profiles
|
Average Salary
|
Clinical Research Managers
|
INR 10 LPA
|
Clinical Research Associate
|
INR. 3.5 LPA
|
Drug Safety Associate
|
INR 3.8 LPA
|
Clinical Research Coordinator
|
INR 2.4 LPA
|
Clinical Data Manager
|
INR 5.5 LPA
|
Regulatory Affairs Manager
|
INR 13.6 LPA
|
Biostatisticians
|
INR 4 LPA
|
Source: AmbitionBox
Top Entities Hiring For This Job
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Max Healthcare
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Cipla
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Springer Nature
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IPatientCare
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Indegene
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Augustus Health Care
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Fortis Healthcare
Conclusion
A career in clinical research may bring newer challenges every day but one may also get the chance to travel to different research areas, interact with hundreds of people, and write comprehensive reports. To sum up, if you are passionate about science, medicine, and improving patient outcomes, a career in clinical research may be the right choice for you!
Medbots.in wishes you all the best!