r/clinicalresearch

I am a master’s student conducting my thesis research and would love your support! My study examines the relationship between nighttime social media use, sleep quality, and PTSD symptoms in trauma-exposed young adults ages 18–25.

⏱ 5-8 minutes
🔒 Fully anonymous & confidential
🎓 Master’s thesis study | IRB approved
🔗 https://qualtricsxmsyxv6684n.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV\_6tj8yFMy7tB5WD4

If you fit the criteria or know someone who might, I would truly appreciate your participation or a share! Every response brings me closer to completing my thesis. 🙏 I WILL DO YOURS TOO , i did some on my last post but need way more participants !! please help!

Hi we are a site that has several on-site IMVs per month. We usually allow monitors to come on site at the start of the day 0900 and leave by 1700 so that CRCs can end their work day at 1730.
At the end of the day around 1700 when we ask our monitors to start packing up so we can collect study binders and escort them out the building, several monitors will always ask for a few more minutes and then end up staying past 1730. Most recently we had a monitor stay until 1800.

My question is: are monitors entitled to a certain amount of monitoring per day? I think 8 hours a day is fair. Our department will not grant over time for staying late for a monitor. Several of our CRCs are brand new and too timid to speak up to the monitors and ask them to leave. I am thinking we need to have a formal SOP so we can share with monitors on IMV expectations.

IQVIA are now implementing CRA Check-In across the UK from the 1st June. This seems like a outrageous change pushing towards a complete invasion of data privacy and I'm more worried this is a data collection experiment in addition to closer oversight.

Such a shame that we apparently can't be trusted for our profession.

What is it with all the IE's?!

When I was at site, having an IE would have been a very serious thing. I would have had meetings with management. Quality would have been very involved. It never happened in my time.

Some sites appear to be barely reading the in/ex. Worldwide sites, experienced sites, new sites. The computer didn't work so I did it on paper instead. It's how I do it on another study so I did it on this one too. Requests for waivers.

It appears the opinion is often - ask for forgiveness not permission.

Anyone have experience of how this affects the final data readout? I'm sure the regulators won't be impressed. Anyone ever had to increase a sample size due to IE's?

Thanks

I've a PhD student in my department whose first language isn't English and who did his undergrad in another language and field altogether. So his writing skills are....kind of not there. I edited his abstract for a conference and it took nearly half a day (so many questions "do you mean X or do you mean Y" "A means B, is that what you wanted to say?"). The poster wasn't so bad as it was mostly bullet points. Now he's working on a full paper and I really don't have time to babysit him through it. Can I just tell him to find an editor to do it? I was thinking of Editage because they work a lot with non-native speakers or Wordvice.

PS: Don't suggest Grammarly or any AI tool. He uses it already for his IMs and sometimes he sounds just weird when it's a technical topic because he just clicks on whatever the tool suggests.

And so is IQVIA’s verification process. I’m in the middle of getting my MS (which I told the recruiter during my screening call) but I have it listed on my resume and listed on my application because, you know, I’m actively obtaining it. When I did my background check, however, I didn’t list it because I haven’t completed it, and the check asked for the HIGHEST COMPLETED; I’m not a liar, so I only listed my bachelor’s. IQVIA reached out and asked me for the info for my MS so the company doing the check could verify… I reiterated what I told the recruiter, asked if they still needed it and I heard no response so I sent the info anyways.

Well NOW I’m under “pre-adverse action” because the background check company couldn’t “verify” my education… WELL I EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO YOU MULTIPLE TIMES. So I sent them a statement, reexplaining everything again, with a copy of my unofficial transcript and degree audit PLUS my certifications JUST IN CASE (but they’ll probably ignore that email like I’m pretty certain they ignored the previous one).

I’m so happy I didn’t put in my notice at my current job because I just knew some bull crap was going to happen. Atleast I have a job still; fingers crossed this one still works out but if not atleast I have something.

And all I got was a lame email from Pfizer, sigh, lol.

Where’s my holiday pay! Help this feel real! :)

For those of you asking “why today?”, the answer is James Lind’s scurvy trial on May 20, 1747 (yes, I checked).

All I’m saying is, if we’re collectively inventing niche holidays, this one feels like it’s missing citrus-themed fruit baskets for clinical trials staff (at minimum).

For those who left industry, what kind of roles have you transitioned to?

I'm currently a CRA and have learned that the travel is not worth the pay. It isn't good for a work-life balance, and it's not because I'm overworked (not due to metrics, anyway). I'd like to transition to something with less travel and more toward my degree, but I'm having a hard time finding job openings (let alone jobs that pay enough)

I'd preferably like to hear from those with similar backgrounds to myself (obviously, there is a wide range of paths that lead in and out, so if you feel it's relevant, don't ignore):

12 years in healthcare overall

Volunteered in safety committee for 2 years

Trained employees for 3 years

Clinical Research Coordinator for 3.5 years

B.S. in Health Sciences: Public Health

Part of me believes that my standards are too high, and maybe that's the reality check I need to hear....

I'm a (bored) data manager. Started in the lab, ended up building automation tools because I got tired of watching coordinators and CRAs spend half their day on things that should take five minutes.

Trying to figure out what to build next. Not selling anything just trying to understand where the time actually goes and what would be helpful.

Things I've seen eat people alive:

- Visit scheduling math done manually every time a protocol amendment drops

- EDC and internal systems having no idea the other exists

- QC documentation that somehow still lives in a binder

- Site activation status living in seventeen different email chains

But I've been in data management long enough to know my pain isn't everyone's pain. What's tasks and workflow drive you up the wall?

Hello!

I know job market is a bit crappy right now so I’m trying my luck here. Is it possible for someone here to give me a referral to any CRO here in Canada? I’m thinking that it might increase the chances of securing an interview.

I have almost 3 years of clinical operations experience (mainly eTMF maintenance) and I’ve been applying for any related roles and entry level jobs such as Clinical Trial Assistant, etc. but still no luck :( I got 3 interviews but no offer unfortunately. I’ve been applying since 2023 so this is really sad and kinda frustrating.

I can send you my resume for review. Any feedback or suggestions regarding job hunting are also very welcome.

Thank you so much in advance for all your help!

I’m transitioning out of a post-doc and looking for research adjacent roles. I thought being a CRC might be a good fit and am lined up for my second round of interviews. Do people with PhDs (I’m in neuroscience) normally go into CRC positions? I have 10 years of Director level experience in nonprofits prior to my PhD . I don’t know much about clinical research/trials since my PhD was with rodents.. I just want to make sure I’m not selling myself short. The role is Sr. CRC in the neuroscience center of a hospital.

I currently work in big pharma, at a company known for being stable and having great benefits. However, with their return to office (silent) policy, the only real career path available to me is clinical operations. I’m debating if it’s worth trying to move to a smaller company so that I can get into regulatory affairs, even if it means the benefits aren’t so hot. I find clinical operations to be incredibly boring, and while the pay is good, I honestly don’t know if I want to do this for the next decade or more. What would you do?

https://preview.redd.it/foyq2o7qfa2h1.jpg?width=501&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de7d51bf2949b0e0b31705a30c6e2a68678d570a

I'm looking for clinical research roles, but I don't have direct experience. I have applied to several CROs, but I haven't received any interview invitations. I recently revised my resume, and I'm seeking suggestions for improvement. Thank you!

Is it me, or is there a correlation between those two?

Are people so scared they would make a mistake and be fired, that instead of answering a simple question would rather create a huge loop of people arguing that it's not their job to answer in 10 pages long email chain?

Is it the same with your companies as well? I don't remember it being that bad in the past.

20 studies. 100s of patients. No sub-I. Two CRCs. No manager on site. No time to train. Second most senior CRC has less than 7 months experience. Charts are piling up. PDs are everywhere. I just don't feel like this is normal.

CRA position for Syneos or Icon Amgen FSP? Which one you think is better? Any experience or thoughts?

Has anyone been on this list longer than 2 years? Has anyone in this sub actually been picked from this list?

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I'm on the final stage of the Iqvia Cohort interview process. Does anybody have any insight on what kind of questions they would ask? I heard that there was a quiz?

I found myself entering this industry without really knowing much about it. About 3 years ago, I interviewed for a CTA role and was told that it could eventually lead into Project Management (which was what I was aiming for) and joined the company. I have no background in clinical trials and came from a background in a biological lab doing experiments.

I’m unsure what to do next with my career as I don’t have any interest to be a CRA but I’m also unsure whether staying as a CTA long term is realistic. I actually enjoy my current role, but I’m wondering if there’s meaningful progression within the CTA path (e.g. Senior CTA roles, management opportunities, etc.) or if there’s eventually a ceiling in terms of salary.

I’ve also been considering applying outside of the clinical trials field for roles like Project Coordinator or Project Executive, but I’m not sure whether the skills gained as a CTA are transferable enough for those positions.

Has anyone successfully pivoted out of the clinical trials industry with mainly CTA experience? I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences or advice. Thanks a lot!