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  • Clinical Research Manager

Clinical Research Manager

I genuinely hope that everything I do will one day be of huge benefit to patients.

Charlie, Site Manager

​So, what do you do?

I work as a Clinical Research Site Manager for a large pharma company.  This means that I look after new and ongoing clinical trials, working both from home and within hospitals.

Why did you decide on a career in the pharmaceutical industry?

My first job in the industry was as a sales rep.  I did this straight from university, after getting a BSc Hons degree in Pharmacology. Initially I didn’t apply for any jobs whilst still doing my degree – I was somehow able to avoid the “milk round mania”.  After graduation I spotted my first job in a student publication and went for it.  Really, I think that part of it was that I didn’t know what else I could do.  My careers advice, both at school and university was really disappointing and very limited.

Although my degree was in pharmacology, I knew very early in my studies that being in the lab was not for me!  I suppose the prospect of a car, a laptop and a mobile phone was very exciting to a poor student, so the move into pharmaceutical sales seemed an obvious one.

How has your career developed since you entered the industry?

After a period in Sales I felt frustrated that all that knowledge from my degree wasn’t being desperately stretched, so when I met up an old university friend who was a CRA I was really excited about the prospect of a new job.  I love meeting new people every day, working from home and being independent, and my job offers all of this.

What does your typical day involve?

If I’m going to a site, I may have to get up pretty early!  My furthest site is around 180 miles away, but the majority of my work is within an hour’s drive or so.  However most sites make me a cup of tea upon arrival!

I’ll arrive at site with my laptop and spend some time with the research nurse and the investigator, discussing how recruitment’s been going, any issues or successes they have had since my last visit, and any potential issues that we need to report to our drug safety group urgently (i.e. study patients being hospitalised etc).  I am in close regular contact, usually by e-mail, with all my sites in between visits. I’ll then spend time going through the (often quite extensive) study documentation, checking that everything’s been completed and looks accurate – after which I’ll check the study data against the dusty hospital notes.  Once I’m happy, I’ll whip the paperwork away (or submit it online if we’re using an electronic data capture system).

Do you work mostly on your own or as part of team?

It’s a real mixture.  I have a home office (in an upstairs bedroom!) that I work in usually for 2 days a week. The rest of the time I’m out at the investigational sites, working with the research nurses and the consultants (investigators).  I am part of the regional monitoring team at my company – we all meet up maybe once a month on average, often for training. More importantly, I really feel that I am a key part of the study teams at the sites.  It’s possible to forge really excellent working relationships with both the nurses and the investigators – we all have a common goal and this really brings folks together.

What is it like socially where you work?

It’s variable as I spend my time both at home, in our company office and out at site. I occasionally feel a bit isolated from the crowd as I work regionally, but we always take advantage of meetings and training sessions to catch up with each other, and I’m generally on the phone to at least 5 different colleagues every day!

What are you most proud of in your career?

That’s an easy one!  I actually feel that I am making a difference (in the wider sense) every day I’m at work.  Even though I work for a commercial organisation, I genuinely hope that everything I do – alongside the study teams at site – will one day be of huge benefit to patients.  I have a large number of oncology studies and just to know that your investigational product might have given someone an extra month with their family means everything.

And in all therapeutic areas there are people whose quality of life, or sense of wellbeing, or even perhaps relationships with friends and family, can be improved with the right medication.  In this world of profits and targets it’s really easy to forget all this.

What possibilities are there for your career in the future?

From my current job, the usual route most folks take is into project management – looking after studies either within the country or globally, working with a team of monitors.  Alternatively, I could become a CRA manager – looking after the team of regional monitors. There is also the possibility to progress into something more specialised – like performing feasibilities at the start of new studies to ascertain which would be the best sites for the study.

What do you think are the most important skills for someone in your role to have?

I think with a good basic science background, the main skills required are the ability to work independently; the confidence to present protocols or training sessions to site staff; some focus on attention to detail, and the ability communicate well with those you work with internally – especially if you are regionally-based.  I don’t think I had these skills to any great extent when I started in the job, but as long as you’re willing to learn, you soon get there.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone seeking a career in the pharmaceutical industry?

Do research into the different companies before applying for jobs. There’s a huge variation in “ethos” between the smaller and larger companies, and also between the pharma and contract houses. You will soon find a company that suits your style and ambitions for the future.

Case studies

  • Analytical Chemist
  • Analytical Chemist (Discovery)
  • Animal Technologist
  • Apprentice - Higher Laboratory Scientist
  • Biologist (biomarkers)
  • Biologist (DPMK)
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  • Chemistry Outsourcing Manager and Synthetic Chemist
  • Clinical Data Manager
  • Clinical Quality Assurance Advisor
  • Clinical Research Analyst
  • Clinical Research Associate
  • Clinical Research Manager
  • Clinical Research Project Manager
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  • Clinical Scientist
  • Clinical trials supplies
  • Commercial Account Manager
  • Commercial Director
  • Compliance Director
  • Contract Manager
  • Data Sciences Manager
  • Director Medical Affairs
  • Drug Safety Associate – Video
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  • Executive Sales Representative
  • Geneticist
  • Graduate Trainee Biologist
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  • Graduate Trainee In Vivo Scientist
  • Head of Drug Safety and Local Safety Officer
  • Head of Health Economics
  • Head of Market Access
  • Healthcare Manager
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Industrial Placement (Medicinal Chemist)
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  • Industrial Placement (Regulatory Policy)
  • Industrial Placement Biologist
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  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist
  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist - Respiratory
  • Industrial placement student – biologist
  • Industry Accountant
  • IT Project Manager
  • Laboratory Technician (biology)
  • Laboratory Technician (chemistry)
  • Lean Coach
  • Learning and Development Business Practice Lead
  • Legal Coordinator
  • Manufacturing Operative
  • Market Access Director
  • Mathematical Modeller
  • Medical department intern
  • Medical Director and Managing Director UK & Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Republic of Ireland
  • Medical Information Scientist
  • Medical Physicist
  • Medical Writer
  • Medical writer (freelance)
  • Medicinal Chemist
  • Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Medicinal Chemistry Director
  • Occupational Health Manager
  • Patent Attorney
  • Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist
  • Pharmaceutical Technologist
  • Pharmacist (formulation)
  • Pharmacist (pre-registration)
  • Pharmacokineticist (DMPK) – Video
  • Pharmacologist
  • Pharmacovigilance Scientist
  • Policy and Public Affairs Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Production Coordinator
  • Project Manager / Director
  • Public Relations Executive
  • Public Relations Officer
  • Quality and Compliance Vice President
  • Regulatory Affairs and Qualified Person
  • Regulatory Affairs Associate
  • Regulatory Affairs Consultant (Freelance)
  • Regulatory Affairs Executive
  • Regulatory Associate
  • Research Project Leader
  • Research Scientist – Video
  • Sales Representative
  • Scientific Affairs Manager (Nutrition)
  • Senior statistician
  • Specialist Medical Representative
  • Statistician
  • Summer placement student
  • Synthetic Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Toxicologist
  • Toxicologist (Contract Research)
  • Toxicology Study Director
  • Training Director
  • Training Instructor
  • UK and Ireland Medical Director
  • Veterinary Surgeon

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The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales 
(registered number 09826787) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside,105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT.
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Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA)

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to operate the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry independently of the ABPI. The PMCPA is a division of ABPI which is a company registered in England and Wales (registered number 09826787) with its registered office at 7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT.

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The Office of Health Economics (OHE) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (registered number 09848965) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT. OHE provides independent research, advisory and consultancy services on policy implications and economic issues within the pharmaceutical, health care and biotechnology sectors.