Clinical Research Coordinators

What the job really is

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

At a glance

• Sector: Management
• O*NET-SOC code: 11-9121
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Schedule subjects for appointments, procedures, or inpatient stays as required by study protocols.
• Perform specific protocol procedures such as interviewing subjects, taking vital signs, and performing electrocardiograms.
• Assess eligibility of potential subjects through methods such as screening interviews, reviews of medical records, or discussions with physicians and nurses.
• Prepare study-related documentation, such as protocol worksheets, procedural manuals, adverse event reports, institutional review board documents, or progress reports.
• Inform patients or caregivers about study aspects and outcomes to be expected.
• Record adverse event and side effect data and confer with investigators regarding the reporting of events to oversight agencies.
• Monitor study activities to ensure compliance with protocols and with all relevant local, federal, and state regulatory and institutional polices.
• Oversee subject enrollment to ensure that informed consent is properly obtained and documented.
• Maintain required records of study activity including case report forms, drug dispensation records, or regulatory forms.
• Identify protocol problems, inform investigators of problems, or assist in problem resolution efforts, such as protocol revisions.
• Review proposed study protocols to evaluate factors such as sample collection processes, data management plans, or potential subject risks.
• Collaborate with investigators to prepare presentations or reports of clinical study procedures, results, and conclusions.

Tools and technology

Clinical trial management software, IBM SPSS Statistics, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Word, Python, R, SAS

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Clinical Data Managers
• Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Health Informatics Specialists
• Social Science Research Assistants
• Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
• Medical and Health Services Managers
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
• Natural Sciences Managers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Clinical Research Coordinators — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.