Clinical Research

Clinical Research is a branch of medical science that students can take up after the completion of the higher secondary degree in the science stream. The curricular work of Clinical Research involves studies about the safety and effectiveness of treatments,  diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals for human use. One can pursue this course at the undergraduate level after completing class 12 which may last from six months to five years. After completing a bachelor’s degree, students can pursue post graduation and a doctorate in clinical research. 

The scope for clinical research has surged since Covid-19 as India has intensified clinical research efforts. To be eligible for clinical research courses, students must pass entrance exams like NEET, IUET, NIMS, CUCET, etc. These courses are delivered in both offline and online modes. Some of the top colleges in India offering clinical research courses are ICRI Dehradun, Saveetha University, Asian Institute of Health Sciences, ICBio Clinical Research, etc.

On average, the course fee ranges from INR 10,000 (certification) to INR 5 lakhs. After completing clinical research studies, candidates can pursue careers as clinical research analysts, clinical research associates, clinical research physicians, etc. and earn an average salary of INR 2-8 lakhs per annum.

Check out the significant highlights of the clinical research courses below:

There is a huge demand for qualified clinical research experts since clinical research is expanding and developing at an unprecedented rate. The industry offers many diverse job opportunities, demanding work settings, travel to various research centres, writing reports, and getting to know people through clinical trials or working for several firms.

Clinical research courses are offered in India at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The different types of clinical research courses offered are:

Certifications

Diploma (UG/PG)

Bachelors

Masters

Doctoral

Depending on their field of interest, a candidate can select a subject in these three major fields of clinical research:

Epidemiologic and Behavioral Research

Patient-Oriented Research

Health Service Research

Students can choose to pursue a certification, diploma, PG diploma, bachelors, masters, and PhD courses in clinical research as per their requirements. Check out detailed information about each course below:

Certificate in Clinical Research

Clinical research certificate courses can be pursued after 10+2 or after a bachelor’s degree, depending on the course format.

Diploma in Clinical Research

Diploma curriculum is structured in a way that helps prospective applicants to understand the bioethics that applies in a hospital or clinic. A 55% aggregate or a degree obtained from a reputable university is a requirement for admission.

BSc in Clinical Research

BSc in Clinical Research & Healthcare Management is a three-year full-time degree. The first year is devoted to the fundamental knowledge of management sciences, while the second and third years are devoted to specialisation in topics related to healthcare and clinical research.

MSc in Clinical Research

The two-year full-time MSc Clinical Research programme is designed specifically for individuals who have a strong interest in medical sciences. Candidates for the MSc Clinical Research programme must have completed their BSc at an accredited college or university.

Doctorate in Clinical Research

A three-year doctoral-level programme called a PhD in clinical research focuses on the study of clinical components. The curriculum is set up to enable students towards getting ready for careers in clinical or translational research.

Numerous entrance tests are conducted by colleges at various levels for admission to clinical research courses, including UG PG, and PhD. The following are a few of them:

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)

The NEET exam is the premier all-Indian test for medical and allied disciplines. Many colleges that offer courses in clinical research need applicants to submit NEET scores to be considered for admission.

Institute of Clinical Research (ICRI) Entrance Test

One of the most well-known clinical research organisations in the nation, ICRI provides a wide range of clinical research courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels along with excellent employment prospects.

NIMS University Entrance Test

In India, NIMS University is a renowned institution for providing clinical research courses. One must pass the entrance exam offered by the university itself to be considered for admission.

The primary prerequisite for enrolling in a Clinical Research course is completing 12th grade from an accredited educational board. Here are the detailed eligibility criteria:

For certification, diploma, and undergraduate courses including BSc Clinical research, candidates must complete 10+2 from a recognised educational board. Minimum GPA or marks requirement will depend on the university/college. 

For most diploma and undergraduate courses, applicants are required to have a minimum of 50% marks in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology in class 12. 

For PG Diploma courses and other master’s courses, applicants require a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline and at least 55% aggregate.

For doctoral courses, one must complete a master's degree from a recognised university in a relevant field with at least 55% marks.

Candidates who are interested in enrolling in clinical research courses should fill out an application form online or submit it to their preferred institution with the required documents and application fee. Candidates will be notified via email once they have been selected based on a screening exam and an interview.

Here we have provided a list of Clinical Research Courses after the 12th for the convenience of the students:

Online Clinical Research Courses

Some of the popular clinical research courses that candidates can pursue in online mode are as follows:

The following are a few of the top colleges in India that provide undergraduate, graduate, and diploma programmes in this field:

In today's world, clinical research has become increasingly popular among medical students due to the multitude of health issues that exist. Despite being most widely studied as a master's degree, clinical research is also available as a bachelor's degree in the USA and other countries. Clinical research associates and physicians are also in high demand internationally due to health problems throughout the world.

The table below shows the top colleges to study clinical research courses abroad along with their respective cities and countries:

Clinical research course fees vary depending on the type of course, level, institution, etc. The following table shows the list of various clinical research course fees based on the course levels:

The following table shows a list of common topics covered by various clinical research institutes:

Clinical research curriculum differs depending on the type of course. It focuses on imparting a fundamental and useful understanding of clinical research and the regulations underlying it. Candidates may refer to the semester-by-semester topics listed below as a part of the BSc in clinical research course:

As per recent studies, the clinical research industry, which is currently witnessing business growth of about 250 crores, could soon experience growth of over 5000 crores. Clinical investigators now have several job prospects due to industries involved in research such as biotech firms, pharmaceutical companies, and research labs.

Job Profiles for Clinical Researchers

Candidates who are committed to learning about the know-how of research in the medical and clinical disciplines should strongly consider a career in clinical research. Such individuals can function as:

• Clinical research analysts,

• clinical research associates,

• clinical research physicians,

• clinical research coordinators,

• Biostatisticians, etc.

Leading Recruiters for Clinical Researchers

The following are the leading recruiters for clinical researchers:

• Hospitals and clinics

• Academic institutes

• Pharmaceutical industries

• Research facilities and labs

• Private health industries

• Thinktanks

Clinical research has a wide range of opportunities for professionals given the expanding scope of the health sector. The following table shows the estimated average annual salary of a clinical researcher:

To succeed in clinical research and have a successful career as a clinical researcher, students should inculcate the following skills:

Analytical Skills: A clinical research student should work on developing their analytical skills so they can examine complex situations and data more effectively and find solutions.

Concentration and Patience: Clinical research demands a lot of patience and concentration. It is important to concentrate on minute aspects of clinical research methodology while performing trials or being involved in medication development. 

Knowledge of Clinical Research: A researcher who lacks the knowledge of clinical research will surely face many challenges while searching for employment.

Cooperating and Coordinating Skills: A proper conversation is essential to cooperating with patients and coordinating with other personnel.