| A Clinical Research Assistant is responsible for | | | | about Rs 15,000 to Rs 40,000 per month, which is |
| initiating and monitoring the progress of a clinical trial. | | | | pretty good when you consider what graduates |
| Good CRA are critical to successful medical | | | | usually get after a Bachelors or Masters in Science. |
| experiments. They bear the responsibility of ensuring | | | | State of the art infrastructure, more than 15,000 |
| that study protocols and Good Clinical Practices are | | | | hospitals, trained manpower and lower costs of |
| adhered to, data collected during the research is | | | | conducting trials in India has made it one of the |
| scientifically complete, and that human study subjects | | | | favorite sites for pharmaceutical companies and |
| are well taken care of during and after research. In | | | | research organizations who need to study medicines |
| short, they make sure that medications, medicinal | | | | in controlled environments, before launching them in |
| devices, diagnostic products, and treatments being | | | | the market on a large scale as per government |
| developed for human use are safe and effective | | | | stipulations. If you want to use the opportunity and |
| while taking care of human subjects as well. | | | | make a career as a CRA, you can opt for training |
| India is one of the fastest growing destinations for | | | | courses, diploma and certificate programs available at |
| Clinical Research all over the world. It is believed that | | | | various institutes at the local level. |
| by 2010, the industry in India will grow to an | | | | Training to be a Clinical Research Assistant includes |
| unprecedented size of Rs 5,000 crores! The large | | | | developing purpose, methodology, and protocols of a |
| population size of India is seen as a potential patient | | | | trial to designing Case Record Forms used for data |
| pool waiting to be recruited for clinical trials at much | | | | collection, communicating and negotiating with |
| cheaper prices than in other developed countries. | | | | regulatory authorities, liasioning up with doctors and |
| More than 5 lakh trained doctors, medical | | | | scientists for the trials, monitor and verify data at all |
| professionals and life science specialists in India with | | | | stages, make reports that are scientifically complete |
| an ability to speak and communicated in English is also | | | | with clinical notes and archiving all the documentation |
| attracting investments from Clinical Research Industry | | | | and correspondence. Whether you are looking |
| to the country. In such a scenario, it does not come | | | | forward to managerial positions, dealing with medical |
| as a surprise that analysts project increase of Clinical | | | | and regulatory affairs, Pharmacovigilance, Clinical Data |
| Studies Expenditure in India to be 30% annually. In | | | | Management, or deal exclusively with Clinical |
| the next five years, India will need as many as | | | | Operations, you can find specific six month or one |
| 50,000 trained professionals in the field, which is | | | | year courses for various fields and career options. A |
| believed to be one-fifth of the projection at the | | | | good institute offers training in all these areas and |
| global level. | | | | more. Look for an institute that includes practical |
| Though salaries offered by organizations vary, a | | | | hands-on training in its training program and offers job |
| starter in clinical trial and research dield can expect | | | | assistance programs to get value for your money. |