Hi All! I’ve only been a CRA for a sponsor during my career - never for a CRO. Many of the posts here speak to CRAs at CROs that state they have 10+ sites across several protocols, which I couldn’t even imagine having! I currently have 4 sites across 2 protocols and I can’t keep up. Is the monitoring significantly different between CRO CRAs vs Sponsor? I don’t understand how you guys do it!
I am not a pharmacokineticist but I do find PK an interesting concept so I read up on studies for different drugs from time to time. I worked on a study years ago where we were going through protocol drafting for a DDI study with rifampin as the enzyme inducer and me, as a data consultant, identified that hormonal contraceptives may be rendered ineffective during the treatment because rifampin already sucks with HCs but then would be further cleared by the IP (drug under study was a moderate CYP3A4 inducer). The MM and PKist both didn't notice until I said anything. It really makes me wonder how much confounding there is because people are moving too fast or don't catch shit.
TLDR; I'm beginning to see how the sausage is made in our industry and I'm very disenchanted.
Hi everyone!
I am currently applying for entry level positions (research assistant, clinical research coordinator, clinical research assistant) but I keep getting rejections, often very quick rejections. Zero interviews. I understand that I don’t have experience that is directly related to what I am applying for, but I feel I have at least some transferable skills?
I am wondering if there is something wrong with my resume that is the reason for this? I am applying to jobs within days of them being posted. Any suggestions/ advice would be appreciated!!! Please be as brutal/ honest as you need to be, I really want to break into research and would value any tips you have to help me do that.
Thank you!!
After 4 years of being a traveling CRA, today I missed my first flight, I feel awful! Tell me the most unfortunate thing that happened to you in your CRA career.
I’ve spent a significant part of my career in clinical research across various counties in Kenya. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and a foundational pillar of my professional journey. However, we need to have a very serious conversation about the systemic greed currently rotting the profession from the inside.
The medical field is built on the pursuit of science for the betterment of humanity. It’s why we respect the profession; it’s why doctors take the Hippocratic Oath. But lately, research has become a predatory "cash cow" for a subset of greedy investigators.
The KEMRI "Workaround"
By law, KEMRI is our regulator. However, a dangerous landscape has emerged:
Private Institutes: Many Investigators have set up clinical research institutes outside of KEMRI.
The Loophole: They only use KEMRI to seek ethical and regulatory approvals for a study.
Grant Management Companies: Once approved, they route the international grant funds through their own private grant management companies.
This allows them to use the funds as they wish with zero oversight, and that is where the exploitation begins. They are paying staff bottom-tier wages while demanding grueling hours, and they are aggressively squeezing participant reimbursements to pad their own pockets.
A Breach of Ethics: A Real-World Example
I won’t mention names or specific studies, but I have seen a case where a global sponsor signed an agreement to provide:
KSh 20,000 compensation per participant.
Comprehensive health insurance for the duration of the study.
The Reality?
The Principal Investigator (PI) paid the participants only KSh 4,000. When these participants got sick, they were told to go to the nearest public health facility at their own cost and simply "report back" via a phone call.
The investigator pocketed the difference while the participants—the very people providing the data for scientific progress—were left vulnerable and cheated.
A Call to Action
We need to protect both the participants and the integrity of the medical profession. Benefiting off a person’s back in the name of science is morally bankrupt.
If you have kin in any clinical studies, you MUST ask the researchers:
"What has the SPONSOR allocated for participant compensation and insurance?"
Do not settle for what the "researcher" says they have allocated. Ask for the sponsor's breakdown.
Science must be selfless. It’s time we stop allowing these gatekeepers to exploit the people they are supposed to serve.
Hello. I am an MLS with 3 years of experience in core lab. I have been out of work since November. Does anyone have any tips on how to get into a research lab in Maryland?
My current (Fortrea) employer laid me off on January 12. However, they asked me to resign instead, with January 31 mentioned as my last working day. They also informed me that if I did not resign within the given timeframe, I would be considered a terminated employee, and I would not receive any benefits from the company, including severance or rehire eligibility.
Since then, I have been actively searching for a new opportunity, but I have not yet been able to secure a position with any CROs.
I am the sole breadwinner for my family, so this situation is quite challenging for me. I would greatly appreciate it if you could refer me to any available Senior Clinical Operations roles.
Hey there! Wanted to ask you guys for some guidance regarding my situation currently. I'm in some sort of a dilemma on what would be the best move for me regarding research work. I have been doing an elective at the Stanford hospital this month and seeing the research environment there really peaked my interest.
Some context- I'll be a freshly graduated MD in 4 months. I plan to start my residency at july 2027. This gives me around 8 months of "free time". I have always wanted to gain more experience when it came to research but I haven't really had any guidance or mentorship regarding that in my country. I've done a few projects (bunch of case reports, series, narrative reviews and a cohort abstract) but I am very interested in joining a clinical lab and helping as much as i could.
things i can offer- willing to work nonpaid, can get funding from my country, great at python and R, will be very dedicated, motivated and adaptable during the 8 months (or more), willing to educate myself regarding any needed skillset before i start
goals- gain more knowledge regarding research work, connect myself with motivated people w/ the same interests, hopefully establish a longtitudinal relationship with the team i work with (i would love to work online/hybrid during residency etc)
shortcomings- as i said i dont really have much extensive research experience, i did work as a crc for a while in my country, i'd need j1 sponsorship
Would it be wise to try and aim for post doc postions, research fellow positions, or is there some specific role that would suit my goals? Any guidance would be truly appreciated.
Hi all, hope you’re doing well.
I’m trying to understand the day-to-day challenges faced in clinics and hospitals, and I’d really appreciate your perspective.
From your experience, what are the biggest problems you deal with on a daily basis? This could be anything — organization, patient flow, handling bookings and calls, internal processes, lab work, staff coordination, or anything else that makes your work more difficult.
And if you could change or improve one thing in your workplace that would make the biggest difference in your daily work, what would it be?
Would really appreciate your insight — just trying to understand the real, on-the-ground challenges.
Thank you 🙏
Hi, how open CROs like IQVIA, ICOn, etc are to recruit Non-EU citizens and sponsor their visa, and in which countries this process is easier and less bureaucratic? Which roles they usually sponsor? Please share your experience. Many thanks