clinical research scientist salary phd

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Clinical Research Scientist salary

Average clinical research scientist salary, how much does a clinical research scientist make.

The average clinical research scientist salary in the United States is $99,160. Clinical research scientist salaries typically range between $63,000 and $154,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for clinical research scientists is $47.67 per hour. Clinical research scientist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Clinical research scientists earn the highest average salary in California.

Where can a Clinical Research Scientist earn more?

Clinical research scientist salary estimates from across the web, average clinical research scientist salary by state.

The average clinical research scientist salary in California, Washington, and New Hampshire are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average clinical research scientist salary states are Kansas, South Carolina, and Kentucky.

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Highest paying states for clinical research scientists

Highest paying cities for clinical research scientists.

The highest-paying cities for clinical research scientists are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Boston, MA.

Clinical Research Scientist salary details

A clinical research scientist's salary ranges from $63,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $154,000 at the 90th percentile.

What is a clinical research scientist's salary?

Highest paying clinical research scientist jobs.

The highest paying types of clinical research scientists are clinical project manager, scientist, and clinical research manager.

Top companies hiring clinical research scientists now:

• Meta Jobs (13)
• Amgen Jobs (9)
• Merck Jobs (7)
• Novartis Jobs (31)
• Gilead Sciences Jobs (4)

Which companies pay clinical research scientists the most?

Clinical research scientist salaries at Meta and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average clinical research scientist salary at companies like Amgen and Cepheid are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

Clinical research scientist salary by industry.

The average clinical research scientist salary varies across industries:

• The average clinical research scientist salary in the pharmaceutical industry is $105,459, the highest of any industry.
• The average clinical research scientist salary in the finance industry is $95,328.
• Clinical research scientists in the professional industry earn an average salary of $81,756, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for clinical research scientists

High paying clinical research scientist jobs, clinical research scientist salary trends.

The average clinical research scientist salary has risen by $16,656 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average clinical research scientist earned $82,504 annually, but today, they earn $99,160 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for clinical research scientists over the last decade.

Compare clinical research scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average clinical research scientist salary over time

Compare clinical research scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Clinical Research Scientist salary by year

Recently added clinical research scientist salaries, clinical research scientist salary faqs, what state pays clinical research scientists the most, how do i know if i'm being paid fairly as a clinical research scientist.

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Clinical Research Scientist Related Salaries

• Clinical Associate Salary
• Clinical Coordinator Salary
• Clinical Project Manager Salary
• Clinical Research Assistant Salary
• Clinical Research Associate Salary
• Clinical Research Coordinator Salary
• Clinical Research Manager Salary
• Clinical Trial Manager Salary
• Coordinator And Research Assistant Salary
• Research Administrator Salary
• Research Coordinator Salary
• Research Nurse Salary
• Research Project Coordinator Salary
• Research Scientist Salary
• Scientist Salary

Clinical Research Scientist Related Careers

• Clinical Associate
• Clinical Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Research Assistant
• Clinical Research Associate
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Research Manager
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Coordinator And Research Assistant
• Research Administrator
• Research Coordinator
• Research Nurse
• Research Project Coordinator
• Research Scientist

Clinical Research Scientist Related Jobs

• Senior Clinical Research Associate
• Senior Program Coordinator
• Senior Research Associate

What Similar Roles Do

• What Does a Clinical Associate Do
• What Does a Clinical Coordinator Do
• What Does a Clinical Project Manager Do
• What Does a Clinical Research Assistant Do
• What Does a Clinical Research Associate Do
• What Does a Clinical Research Coordinator Do
• What Does a Clinical Research Manager Do
• What Does a Clinical Trial Manager Do
• What Does a Coordinator And Research Assistant Do
• What Does a Research Administrator Do
• What Does a Research Coordinator Do
• What Does a Research Nurse Do
• What Does a Research Project Coordinator Do
• What Does a Research Scientist Do
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Clinical Researcher

Navigating a Career as a Clinical Research Professional: Where to Begin?

Clinical Researcher June 9, 2020

Clinical Researcher—June 2020 (Volume 34, Issue 6)

PEER REVIEWED

Bridget Kesling, MACPR; Carolynn Jones, DNP, MSPH, RN, FAAN; Jessica Fritter, MACPR; Marjorie V. Neidecker, PhD, MEng, RN, CCRP

Those seeking an initial career in clinical research often ask how they can “get a start” in the field. Some clinical research professionals may not have heard about clinical research careers until they landed that first job. Individuals sometimes report that they have entered the field “accidentally” and were not previously prepared. Those trying to enter the clinical research field lament that it is hard to “get your foot in the door,” even for entry-level jobs and even if you have clinical research education. An understanding of how individuals enter the field can be beneficial to newcomers who are targeting clinical research as a future career path, including those novices who are in an academic program for clinical research professionals.

We designed a survey to solicit information from students and alumni of an online academic clinical research graduate program offered by a large public university. The purpose of the survey was to gain information about how individuals have entered the field of clinical research; to identify facilitators and barriers of entering the field, including advice from seasoned practitioners; and to share the collected data with individuals who wanted to better understand employment prospects in clinical research.

Core competencies established and adopted for clinical research professionals in recent years have informed their training and education curricula and serve as a basis for evaluating and progressing in the major roles associated with the clinical research enterprise.{1,2} Further, entire academic programs have emerged to provide degree options for clinical research,{3,4} and academic research sites are focusing on standardized job descriptions.

For instance, Duke University re-structured its multiple clinical research job descriptions to streamline job titles and progression pathways using a competency-based, tiered approach. This led to advancement pathways and impacted institutional turnover rates in relevant research-related positions.{5,6} Other large clinical research sites or contract research organizations (CROs) have structured their onboarding and training according to clinical research core competencies. Indeed, major professional organizations and U.S. National Institutes of Health initiatives have adopted the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency as the gold standard approach to organizing training and certification.{7,8}

Recent research has revealed that academic medical centers, which employ a large number of clinical research professionals, are suffering from high staff turnover rates in this arena, with issues such as uncertainty of the job, dissatisfaction with training, and unclear professional development and role progression pathways being reported as culprits in this turnover.{9} Further, CROs report a significant shortage of clinical research associate (CRA) personnel.{10} Therefore, addressing factors that would help novices gain initial jobs would address an important workforce gap.

This mixed-methods survey study was initiated by a student of a clinical research graduate program at a large Midwest university who wanted to know how to find her first job in clinical research. Current students and alumni of the graduate program were invited to participate in an internet-based survey in the fall semester of 2018 via e-mails sent through the program listservs of current and graduated students from the program’s lead faculty. After the initial e-mail, two reminders were sent to prospective participants.

The survey specifically targeted students or alumni who had worked in clinical research. We purposefully avoided those students with no previous clinical research work experience, since they would not be able to discuss their pathway into the field. We collected basic demographic information, student’s enrollment status, information about their first clinical research position (including how it was attained), and narrative information to describe their professional progression in clinical research. Additional information was solicited about professional organization membership and certification, and about the impact of graduate education on the acquisition of clinical research jobs and/or role progression.

The survey was designed so that all data gathered (from both objective responses and open-ended responses) were anonymous. The survey was designed using the internet survey instrument Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap), which is a secure, web-based application designed to support data capture for research studies. REDCap provides an intuitive interface for validated data entry; audit trails for tracking data manipulation and export procedures; automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to common statistical packages; and procedures for importing data from external sources.{11}

Data were exported to Excel files and summary data were used to describe results. Three questions solicited open-ended responses about how individuals learned about clinical research career options, how they obtained their first job, and their advice to novices seeking their first job in clinical research. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes from text responses. The project was submitted to the university’s institutional review board and was classified as exempt from requiring board oversight.

A total of 215 survey invitations were sent out to 90 current students and 125 graduates. Five surveys were returned as undeliverable. A total of 48 surveys (22.9%) were completed. Because the survey was designed to collect information from those who were working or have worked in clinical research, those individuals (n=5) who reported (in the first question) that they had never worked in clinical research were eliminated. After those adjustments, the total number completed surveys was 43 (a 20.5% completion rate).

The median age of the participants was 27 (range 22 to 59). The majority of respondents (89%) reported being currently employed as clinical research professionals and 80% were working in clinical research at the time of graduate program entry. The remaining respondents had worked in clinical research in the past. Collectively, participants’ clinical research experience ranged from less than one to 27 years.

Research assistant (20.9%) and clinical research coordinator (16.3%) were the most common first clinical research roles reported. However, a wide range of job titles were also reported. When comparing entry-level job titles of participants to their current job title, 28 (74%) respondents reported a higher level job title currently, compared to 10 (26%) who still had the same job title.

Twenty-four (65%) respondents were currently working at an academic medical center, with the remaining working with community medical centers or private practices (n=3); site management organizations or CROs (n=2); pharmaceutical or device companies (n=4); or the federal government (n=1).

Three respondents (8%) indicated that their employer used individualized development plans to aid in planning for professional advancement. We also asked if their current employer provided opportunities for professional growth and advancement. Among academic medical center respondents, 16 (67%) indicated in the affirmative. Respondents also affirmed growth opportunities in other employment settings, with the exception of one respondent working in government and one respondent working in a community medical center.

Twenty-five respondents indicated membership to a professional association, and of those, 60% reported being certified by either the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) or the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SoCRA).

Open-Ended Responses

We asked three open-ended questions to gain personal perspectives of respondents about how they chose clinical research as a career, how they entered the field, and their advice for novices entering the profession. Participants typed narrative responses.

“Why did you decide to pursue a career in clinical research?”

This question was asked to find out how individuals made the decision to initially consider clinical research as a career. Only one person in the survey had exposure to clinical research as a career option in high school, and three learned about such career options as college undergraduates. One participant worked in clinical research as a transition to medical school, two as a transition to a doctoral degree program, and two with the desire to move from a bench (basic science) career to a clinical research career.

After college, individuals either happened across clinical research as a career “by accident” or through people they met. Some participants expressed that they found clinical research careers interesting (n=6) and provided an opportunity to contribute to patients or improvements in healthcare (n=7).

“How did you find out about your first job in clinical research?”

Qualitative responses were solicited to obtain information on how participants found their first jobs in clinical research. The major themes that were revealed are sorted in Figure 1.

Figure 1: How First Jobs in Clinical Research Were Found

Some reported finding their initial job through an institution’s job posting.

“I worked in the hospital in the clinical lab. I heard of the opening after I earned my bachelor’s and applied.”

Others reported finding about their clinical research position through the internet. Several did not know about clinical research roles before exploring a job posting.

“In reviewing jobs online, I noticed my BS degree fit the criteria to apply for a job in clinical research. I knew nothing about the field.”

“My friend recommended I look into jobs with a CRO because I wanted to transition out of a production laboratory.”

“I responded to an ad. I didn’t really know that research could be a profession though. I didn’t know anything about the field, principles, or daily activities.”

Some of the respondents reported moving into a permanent position after a role as an intern.

“My first clinical job came from an internship I did in my undergrad in basic sleep research. I thought I wanted to get into patient therapies, so I was able to transfer to addiction clinical trials from a basic science lab. And the clinical data management I did as an undergrad turned into a job after a few months.”

“I obtained a job directly from my graduate school practicum.”

“My research assistant internship [as an] undergrad provided some patient enrollment and consenting experience and led to a CRO position.”

Networking and referrals were other themes that respondents indicated had a direct impact on them finding initial employment in clinical research.

“I received a job opportunity (notice of an opening) through my e-mail from the graduate program.”

“I was a medical secretary for a physician who did research and he needed a full-time coordinator for a new study.”

“I was recommended by my manager at the time.”

“A friend had a similar position at the time. I was interested in learning more about the clinical research coordinator position.”

“What advice do you have for students and new graduates trying to enter their first role in clinical research?”

We found respondents (n=30) sorted into four distinct categories: 1) a general attitude/approach to job searching, 2) acquisition of knowledge/experience, 3) actions taken to get a position, and 4) personal attributes as a clinical research professional in their first job.

Respondents stressed the importance of flexibility and persistence (general attitude/approach) when seeking jobs. Moreover, 16 respondents stressed the importance of learning as much as they could about clinical research and gaining as much experience as they could in their jobs, encouraging them to ask a lot of questions. They also stressed a broader understanding of the clinical research enterprise, the impact that clinical research professional roles have on study participants and future patients, and the global nature of the enterprise.

“Apply for all research positions that sound interesting to you. Even if you don’t meet all the requirements, still apply.”

“Be persistent and flexible. Be willing to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. This will help develop your own niche within a group/organization while creating opportunities for advancement.”

“Be flexible with salary requirements earlier in your career and push yourself to learn more [about the industry’s] standards [on] a global scale.”

“Be ever ready to adapt and change along with your projects, science, and policy. Never forget the journey the patients are on and that we are here to advance and support it.”

“Learning the big picture, how everything intertwines and works together, will really help you progress in the field.”

In addition to learning as much as one can about roles, skills, and the enterprise as a whole, advice was given to shadow or intern whenever possible—formally or through networking—and to be willing to start with a smaller company or with a lower position. The respondents stressed that novices entering the field will advance in their careers as they continue to gain knowledge and experience, and as they broaden their network of colleagues.

“Take the best opportunity available to you and work your way up, regardless [if it is] at clinical trial site or in industry.”

“Getting as much experience as possible is important; and learning about different career paths is important (i.e., not everyone wants or needs to be a coordinator, not everyone goes to graduate school to get a PhD, etc.).”

“(A graduate) program is beneficial as it provides an opportunity to learn the basics that would otherwise accompany a few years of entry-level work experience.”

“Never let an opportunity pass you up. Reach out directly to decision-makers via e-mail or telephone—don’t just rely on a job application website. Be willing to start at the bottom. Absolutely, and I cannot stress this enough, [you should] get experience at the site level, even if it’s just an internship or [as a] volunteer. I honestly feel that you need the site perspective to have success at the CRO or pharma level.”

Several personal behaviors were also stressed by respondents, such as knowing how to set boundaries, understanding how to demonstrate what they know, and ability to advocate for their progression. Themes such as doing a good job, communicating well, being a good team player, and sharing your passion also emerged.

“Be a team player, ask questions, and have a good attitude.”

“Be eager to share your passion and drive. Although you may lack clinical research experience, your knowledge and ambition can impress potential employers.”

“[A] HUGE thing is learning to sell yourself. Many people I work with at my current CRO have such excellent experience, and they are in low-level positions because they didn’t know how to negotiate/advocate for themselves as an employee.”

This mixed-methods study used purposeful sampling of students in an academic clinical research program to gain an understanding of how novices to the field find their initial jobs in the clinical research enterprise; how to transition to a clinical research career; and how to find opportunities for career advancement. There are multiple clinical research careers and employers (see Figure 2) available to individuals working in the clinical research enterprise.

Figure 2: Employers and Sample Careers

Despite the need for employees in the broad field of clinical research, finding a pathway to enter the field can be difficult for novices. The lack of knowledge about clinical research as a career option at the high school and college level points to an opportunity for broader inclusion of these careers in high school and undergraduate curricula, or as an option for guidance counselors to be aware of and share with students.

Because most clinical research jobs appear to require previous experience in order to gain entry, novices are often put into a “Catch-22” situation. However, once hired, upward mobility does exist, and was demonstrated in this survey. Mobility in clinical research careers (moving up and general turnover) may occur for a variety of reasons—usually to achieve a higher salary, to benefit from an improved work environment, or to thwart a perceived lack of progression opportunity.{9}

During COVID-19, there may be hiring freezes or furloughs of clinical research staff, but those personnel issues are predicted to be temporary. Burnout has also been reported as an issue among study coordinators, due to research study complexity and workload issues.{12} Moreover, the lack of individualized development planning revealed by our sample may indicate a unique workforce development need across roles of clinical research professionals.

This survey study is limited in that it is a small sample taken specifically from a narrow cohort of individuals who had obtained or were seeking a graduate degree in clinical research at a single institution. The study only surveyed those currently working in or who have a work history in clinical research. Moreover, the majority of respondents were employed at an academic medical center, which may not fully reflect the general population of clinical research professionals.

It was heartening to see the positive advancement in job titles for those individuals who had been employed in clinical research at program entry, compared to when they responded to the survey. However, the sample was too small to draw reliable correlations about job seeking or progression.

Although finding one’s first job in clinical research can be a lengthy and discouraging process, it is important to know that the opportunities are endless. Search in employment sites such as Indeed.com, but also search within job postings for targeted companies or research sites such as biopharmguy.com (see Table 1). Created a LinkedIn account and join groups and make connections. Participants in this study offered sound advice and tips for success in landing a job (see Figure 3).

Table 1: Sample Details from an Indeed.Com Job Search

Note: WCG = WIRB Copernicus Group

Figure 3: Twelve Tips for Finding Your First Job

• Seek out internships and volunteer opportunities
• Network, network, network
• Be flexible and persistent
• Learn as much as possible about clinical research
• Consider a degree in clinical research
• Ask a lot of questions of professionals working in the field
• Apply for all research positions that interest you, even if you think you are not qualified
• Be willing to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities
• Take the best opportunity available to you and work your way up
• Learn to sell yourself
• Sharpen communication (written and oral) and other soft skills
• Create an ePortfolio or LinkedIn account

Being willing to start at the ground level and working upwards was described as a positive approach because moving up does happen, and sometimes quickly. Also, learning soft skills in communication and networking were other suggested strategies. Gaining education in clinical research is one way to begin to acquire knowledge and applied skills and opportunities to network with experienced classmates who are currently working in the field.

Most individuals entering an academic program have found success in obtaining an initial job in clinical research, often before graduation. In fact, the student initiating the survey found a position in a CRO before graduation.

• Sonstein S, Seltzer J, Li R, Jones C, Silva H, Daemen E. 2014. Moving from compliance to competency: a harmonized core competency framework for the clinical research professional. Clinical Researcher 28(3):17–23. doi:10.14524/CR-14-00002R1.1. https://acrpnet.org/crjune2014/
• Sonstein S, Brouwer RN, Gluck W, et al. 2018. Leveling the joint task force core competencies for clinical research professionals. Therap Innov Reg Sci .
• Jones CT, Benner J, Jelinek K, et al. 2016. Academic preparation in clinical research: experience from the field. Clinical Researcher 30(6):32–7. doi:10.14524/CR-16-0020. https://acrpnet.org/2016/12/01/academic-preparation-in-clinical-research-experience-from-the-field/
• Jones CT, Gladson B, Butler J. 2015. Academic programs that produce clinical research professionals. DIA Global Forum 7:16–9.
• Brouwer RN, Deeter C, Hannah D, et al. 2017. Using competencies to transform clinical research job classifications. J Res Admin 48:11–25.
• Stroo M, Ashfaw K, Deeter C, et al. 2020. Impact of implementing a competency-based job framework for clinical research professionals on employee turnover. J Clin Transl Sci.
• Calvin-Naylor N, Jones C, Wartak M, et al. 2017. Education and training of clinical and translational study investigators and research coordinators: a competency-based approach. J Clin Transl Sci 1:16–25. doi:10.1017/cts.2016.2
• Development, Implementation and Assessment of Novel Training in Domain-based Competencies (DIAMOND). Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC). 2019. https://clic-ctsa.org/diamond
• Clinical Trials Talent Survey Report. 2018. http://www.appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com/node/351341/done?sid=15167
• Causey M. 2020. CRO workforce turnover hits new high. ACRP Blog . https://acrpnet.org/2020/01/08/cro-workforce-turnover-hits-new-high/
• Harris PA, Taylor R, Thielke R, Payne J, Gonzalez N, Conde JG. 2009. Research electronic data capture (REDCap): a metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. J Biomed Inform 42:377–81.
• Gwede CK, Johnson DJ, Roberts C, Cantor AB. 2005. Burnout in clinical research coordinators in the United States. Oncol Nursing Forum 32:1123–30.

A portion of this work was supported by the OSU CCTS, CTSA Grant #UL01TT002733.

Bridget Kesling, MACPR, ( [email protected] ) is a Project Management Analyst with IQVIA in Durham, N.C.

Carolynn Jones, DNP, MSPH, RN, FAAN, ( [email protected] ) is an Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing at The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Co-Director of Workforce Development for the university’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science, and Director of the university’s Master of Clinical Research program.

Jessica Fritter, MACPR, ( [email protected] ) is a Clinical Research Administration Manager at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and an Instructor for the Master of Clinical Research program at The Ohio State University.

Marjorie V. Neidecker, PhD, MEng, RN, CCRP,  ( [email protected] ) is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing at The Ohio State University Colleges of Nursing and Pharmacy.

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The Complete Guide To Becoming A Clinical Scientist

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The Role Of A Clinical Scientist:

Clinical scientists aid the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness. The job title is applicable to an extensive range of roles that are grouped into four domains – clinical bioinformatics, life sciences, physical sciences and clinical engineering, and physiological sciences – and subdivided into specialisms.1 Clinical scientists may work exclusively in laboratories or in direct patient contact in clinics and wards.

Clinical bioinformaticians integrate biosciences, mathematics, statistics and computer sciences to support the delivery of patient care by developing and using systems for the acquisition, storage, organisation and analysis of biological data. The three specialisms in clinical bioinformatics are genomics, health informatics and physical sciences.  Genomics is a rapidly developing field in which databases and computing tools are applied to genomics data to determine the best diagnosis and treatment for individual patients.

Clinical bioinformaticians working in genomics may also support the 100,000 Genomes Project which aims to combine genomic data and medical records to study the causes, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Additionally, service development is a component of the job, for example, creating databases, sequencing pipelines and programs for automatic analysis. 

Clinical bioinformaticians working in health informatics use innovative technology to ensure that the use of bioinformatics data in diagnostics and treatment is efficient and conforms to information governance standards.

They also advise on mining, processing and interpreting big data and explain its significance to patients and other healthcare professionals. This role combines expertise in information analysis and computing, and clinical, biomedical or physical sciences. 

Lastly, physical sciences is concerned with designing the appliances, programs and algorithms that are used in bioinformatics. The work may include authorising computer systems for clinical use and creating computer systems for controlling medical equipment, modelling biological processes, investigations or treatment and processing data produced by medical appliances.

There are numerous specialisms in life sciences. Cancer genomics is the study of genetic mutations that result in cancer. Clinical scientists working in cancer genomics analyse DNA to identify the type of cancer to assist in deciding treatment. They also monitor treatment outcomes. Clinical biochemists analyse body fluids, for example, blood and urine, to assist in the diagnosis and management of illness. They also advise doctors on the selection of tests, interpretation of results and additional investigations. 

Developing diagnostic tools and conducting research in cooperation with clinicians are standard activities. Clinical biochemists work in hospital laboratories and, increasingly, in direct patient contact. Clinical scientists working in clinical immunology use complex molecular techniques to study patients’ immune systems to identify the cause of disease. This enables clinical immunologists to assist in the management of allergies, cancers and infectious diseases. This is a growing specialism with potential for career development. 

Clinical microbiologists are engaged in the prevention, diagnosis and management of infectious diseases . They use culturing, sequencing and molecular techniques to identify microorganisms to guide treatment. They are also involved in the development of new tests. Most commonly, the work is performed in hospital laboratories.

However, public health organisations employ clinical microbiologists for infectious disease surveillance roles. Next, cytopathology centres on the examination of cell specimens by light microscope to diagnose disease. This specialism is divided into cervical cytopathology and diagnostic cytopathology. 

Clinical scientists working in cervical cytopathology examine cells from cervical samples to detect changes that could advance to cancer, as part of screening programmes. Diagnostic cytopathology relates to other cancer diagnoses, for example, respiratory tract, lymph nodes and thyroid gland and this role may extend to sample collection. 

Clinical scientists working in genomics examine DNA to identify differences that cause hereditary and acquired genetic conditions. This comprises prenatal diagnosis, carrier testing, predicting the likelihood of genetic conditions being passed onto children and confirmation of diagnosis. 

A related specialism is genomic counselling. Genomic counsellors aid the prediction, screening, diagnosis and management of genetic conditions by analysing family history and organising and interpreting genetic and genomic investigations to provide patients and families with information regarding the impact of their condition on daily life, health and family. They also predict the likelihood of inheriting or passing on genetic conditions and counsel patients regarding adjusting to their condition and making decisions relating to it, with consideration of ethical, cultural and linguistic diversity. This expertise is now central to multidisciplinary teams working in, for example, oncology , neurology and reproductive medicine . 

Clinical scientists working in haematology and transfusion science aid the diagnosis and management of disorders of the blood and bone marrow, for example, anaemia, leukaemia and haemophilia. They are also involved in organising blood transfusions, including determining blood group status. Histocompatibility and immunogenetics is concerned with supporting stem cell and organ transplantation by tissue typing donors and recipients to assess compatibility, which minimises the risk of immune damage and rejection. Histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratories keep records of potential donors and recipients and are responsible for the collection, processing, storage and distribution of cells and tissues. 

An additional role is assistance in disease diagnosis and management by testing for genes involved in immune function. Clinical scientists working in histocompatibility and immunogenetics are based in hospitals or organisations, for example, NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan Trust.

Histopathologists dissect and prepare – using staining, molecular and immunological techniques – tissue samples for microscopic examination by clinicians. Finally, reproductive science and andrology focuses on the management of infertility. Clinical scientists working in this specialism are involved in fertility treatments, for example, in vitro fertilisation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection and subsequent embryo transfer.

They also perform cryopreservation techniques. Specifically, andrology relates to male reproduction.  

The third domain of clinical science is physical sciences and clinical engineering. Firstly, clinical scientists working in clinical measurement design, build and maintain medical appliances – for example, laser devices, joint replacements, electronic aids and tools for laparoscopic surgery – for diagnosis, management and rehabilitation.

They also perform quality assurance checks on hospital equipment. Some clinical scientists working in clinical measurement conduct research into, for example, body mechanics. 

Clinical pharmaceutical science is concerned with the manufacture and provision of radioactive materials used in medical imaging and treatment, for example, cancer therapies. Clinical pharmaceutical scientists also ensure that medicines are safe to use and are prepared and dispensed in an aseptic environment. Additionally, they design protocols for the manufacture of new medicines.

Clinical scientists working in device risk management and governance check that medical equipment is working safely and effectively. They are engaged in all aspects of equipment maintenance including testing prior to introduction to practice, advising on safe use and disposing safely. Some professionals in device risk management and governance may also contribute to designing equipment. 

Clinical scientists work in imaging with ionising radiation aid and advise clinical staff on generating quality images while complying with guidelines for minimising radiation exposure for patients and healthcare professionals and safely disposing of radioactive substances.

They also conduct quality assurance and safety checks on imaging equipment and develop image analysis programs. Modalities utilised in this specialism include x-ray, computed tomography and positron emission tomography. 

Clinical scientists working in imaging with ionising radiation may also perform procedures other than imaging, for example, measuring glomerular filtration rate – an evaluation of kidney function – and administering radioiodine – a treatment for hyperthyroidism. Imaging systems that do not involve ionising radiation, for example, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound and optical imaging are the remit of clinical scientists working in imaging with non-ionising radiation. They advise on safety, perform quality assurance checks and develop image analysis software.

They may also be involved in therapeutic procedures, for example, laser surgery and ultraviolet treatments. A similar discipline is radiation safety physics that is engaged in ensuring that diagnostic and therapeutic equipment that uses radiation is safe for patient and staff use. 

Additionally, they calculate radiation doses received by patients and staff during procedures, check that equipment is functioning in accordance with guidelines and design and implement policy relating to the use of radiation and radioactive substances. 

Clinical scientists working in radiotherapy physics ensure the safety and precision of radiotherapy treatment. This is achieved by calibrating equipment and performing complex calculations to design treatment regimens that are therapeutic, in that tumours are treated, but limit damage to surrounding tissues. Clinical scientists working in reconstructive science provide corrective treatment in the form of prosthetic reconstruction and therapeutic management, particularly of the face, jaw and skull, that is required as a consequence of congenital malformation, diseases such as cancer, or trauma.

They meet patients to understand their requirements, explain treatment plans and take impressions. Subsequently, they design and build devices, for example, prostheses, therapeutic splints and titanium skull plates and monitor performance at follow-up appointments. Additionally, they may be consulted in emergency settings, for example, to construct splints required for operations for trauma patients.

Lastly, rehabilitation engineering specialises in assessing the needs of people with disabilities and designing, building, testing and prescribing assistive devices corresponding to those needs. The assistive devices may be standard, or custom made. Examples comprise wheelchairs, artificial limbs, electronic communicators and devices for surgical correction of deformities. 

The final domain is physiological sciences. Clinical scientists working in this domain use innovative modalities to investigate the functioning of body systems, detect abnormalities and guide management.  Physiological sciences encompass diverse specialisms. Audiology is an evolving discipline that is engaged in the assessment of hearing and balance and subsequent provision of therapeutic services. 

Clinical scientists working in audiology design and perform diagnostic procedures and interpret the results generated. They devise care plans for patients with hearing or balance disorders. Additionally, counselling and rehabilitation of patients with impaired hearing is a key role. 

Clinical scientists working in cardiac science conduct, and interpret the results of, diagnostic and monitoring procedures – for example, electrocardiography, echocardiography and exercise stress testing – for patients with cardiac pathologies. They also have supporting roles in interventional procedures, for example, pacemaker implantation. Critical care science utilises competencies in physiology and technology relevant to the care of patients with life-threatening illnesses.

Key responsibilities comprise advising other members of the multidisciplinary team caring for critically ill patients on the use of diagnostic, therapeutic, monitoring and life-support equipment, troubleshooting problems with medical devices, for example, ventilators, renal replacement equipment and physiological measurement monitors, running satellite laboratories that perform tests, for example, blood gases and electrolytes at the point of care instead of in centralised laboratories, establishing a renal replacement therapy service and maintaining electronic patient databases. On-call work, including emergency call-outs, is an aspect of this job. 

Clinical scientists working in gastrointestinal physiology measure function of the organs of the digestive system to aid diagnosis and formulation of a treatment plan. This comprises assessment of, for example, pressure, pH and tone. Gastrointestinal physiologists may also perform ultrasound imaging and interventional procedures, for example, percutaneous tibial nerve modulation, which is a treatment for incontinence. Another specialism of physiological sciences is neurophysiology. 

Clinical scientists working in neurophysiology assist in the diagnosis and management of neurological illnesses via assessment of the function of the nervous system. Common modalities utilised are electroencephalography, evoked potentials, electromyography and nerve conduction studies. Work in this discipline is often conducted in intensive care and operating theatre settings.

Ophthalmic and vision sciences relate to the assessment of the structure and function of the optical system to acquire diagnostic and prognostic data that is required by ophthalmologists for the management of disorders of vision and pathologies of the eye and related structures. 

Common activities for clinical scientists working in ophthalmic and vision sciences are measuring visual field and eye pressure, imaging the eye and carrying out electrophysiological investigations of the optical structures. There is scope for research, for example, treatment for genetic diseases and retinal prosthetic implants. 

Clinical scientists working in respiratory and sleep sciences diagnose and treat respiratory illnesses and sleep disorders. In respiratory science, they perform lung function testing and assist in the delivery of care for chronic respiratory disorders, for example, medicines and oxygen. In sleep science, they monitor – via home monitoring or sleep laboratories – and treat patients experiencing poor sleep quality.

Examples of tests performed are cardiopulmonary exercise testing, bronchial challenge testing and blood gas testing. Urodynamics is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of urinary diseases. Clinical scientists of this specialism utilise an array of appliances to measure parameters, for example, pressure, flow and muscle activity and interpret the results to construct reports.

Lastly, clinical scientists working in vascular science use ultrasound imaging and other non-invasive techniques to evaluate blood flow. Most often, they work with inpatients and outpatients in dedicated hospital departments. Results of the procedures performed are interpreted to write reports.

Typically, clinical scientists work 37.5 hours per week.2 This may comprise a shift pattern. The work is conducted in multidisciplinary teams that are constituted by a variety of healthcare professionals and vary by specialism. In many positions held by clinical scientists, there is vast potential for teaching, management and, particularly, research. 

The Route To Clinical Science:

The initial step in the route to becoming a clinical scientist is successful completion of an undergraduate honours degree or integrated master’s degree in a pure or applied science discipline that is relevant to the clinical science specialism that the trainee intends to pursue. A 1.1 or 2.1 degree must be achieved.3 Alternatively, if the trainee possesses a 2.2 honours degree, they are eligible to apply if they also have a higher degree in a relevant discipline. 

Subsequently, trainees apply for the Scientist Training Programme (STP), which has a duration of three years. The competition ratios for the various specialisms are listed in Table 1.4 The STP curriculum is composed of core, rotational and specialty modules, each of which features academic and work-based learning.4 The work-based learning is achieved by employment in an NHS department or, occasionally, by an NHS private partner or private company.  This element of the programme is assessed by eportfolio evidence. The academic component of the programme comprises a part-time master’s degree – MSc in Clinical Science – which is fully funded.  The master’s programme is 180 credit hours, 70 of which are allocated to a research project. 

Table 1: Competition ratios for STP specialisms.

Work-based learning, during the first year of the programme, features an induction, mandatory training, core modules and several rotational placements.5 At university, introductory modules that cover broad topics from the trainee’s chosen theme – life sciences, physiological sciences, physical sciences and clinical engineering or bioinformatics – are completed.

The first set of MSc examinations are taken at the end of the first year. There is greater emphasis on the trainee’s chosen specialism in the second year. The research project is started and there is another set of degree examinations. In the middle of second year, trainees are required to pass the midterm review of progression.

Finally, during the third year, the final MSc examinations are attempted and there is a work-based elective placement. The programme is concluded by the Objective Structured Final Assessment (OSFA).5 Successful completion of the OSFA, eportfolio and master’s degree result in trainees being awarded a Certificate of Completion for the Scientist Training Programme (CCSTP).6 Trainees then apply to the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) for a Certificate of Equivalence or a Certificate of Attainment. Subsequently, they are eligible to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for registration as a Clinical Scientist.6

A further programme, termed the Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST), has a duration of five years and allows some clinical scientists to progress to consultant level. It results in the attainment of a doctorate degree.

Earnings for NHS jobs are classified by pay scales. Trainee clinical scientists are appointed at band 6, at which the starting salary is £31,365.7 The salary increases in accordance with number of years of experience.

Qualified clinical scientists progress to band 7, at which the starting salary is £38,890.7 This also increases over time to a maximum of £44,503 for eight or more years of service. As further experience and qualifications are obtained, it is possible to apply for positions up to band 9 on the pay scale. 

For more information on doctor's salaries within the NHS, please feel free to review  The Complete Guide to NHS Pay .

Related Job Sources With BMJ Careers

• Hospital Jobs
• Psychiatry Jobs
• Public Health Jobs
• Research Jobs
• NHS Jobs in England
• NHS Jobs in Northern Ireland
• NHS Jobs in Scotland
• NHS Jobs in Wales

Other Complete Guides By BMJ Careers

• How To Become A Diabetologist or Endocrinologist
• How To Become A Gastroenterologist
• How To Become A Neurophysiologist
• How To Become A Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
• How To Become An Immunologist

NHS Scientist Training Programme - 2020 recruitment [Internet]. Health Careers. [cited 8 November 2020]. Available from:  https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/news/nhs-scientist-training-programme-2020-recruitment 

Audiology [Internet]. Health Careers. [cited 8 November 2020]. Available from:  https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/physiological-sciences/audiology 

Entry requirements [Internet]. National School of Healthcare Science. [cited 8 November 2020]. Available from: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/programmes/stp/applicants/entry-requirements/ 

Competition ratios for the Scientist Training Programme (STP) Direct Entry [Internet]. National School of Healthcare Science. [cited 8 November 2020]. Available from: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/programmes/stp/applicants/about-the-scientist-training-programme/ 

Setting the scene [Internet]. National School of Healthcare Science. [cited 8 November 2020]. Available from: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/programmes/stp/trainees/setting-the-scene/ 

Completion of the Scientist Training Programme [Internet]. National School of Healthcare Science. [cited 8 November 2020]. Available from: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/programmes/stp/trainees/completion-of-the-programme/ 

NHS Terms and Conditions (AfC) pay scales - Annual [Internet]. NHS Employers. [cited 8 November 2020]. Available from:  https://www.nhsemployers.org/pay-pensions-and-reward/agenda-for-change/pay-scales/annual

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Salaries for Scientist - Clinical Research with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

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Clinical Research Lead Scientist Salary in the United States

Clinical research lead scientist salary.

How much does a Clinical Research Lead Scientist make in the United States? The average Clinical Research Lead Scientist salary in the United States is $98,400 as of March 26, 2024, but the range typically falls between $83,300 and $118,500 . Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education , certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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The Clinical Research Lead Scientist proposes, plans, organizes and executes experiments and research. Assumes lead role in various clinical research projects. Being a Clinical Research Lead Scientist summarizes findings in reports and communicates results. Secures grants and funding for research and is responsible for controlling budgets. In addition, Clinical Research Lead Scientist interacts with other scientists within and outside of the organization. Provides recommendations that influence extensive clinical research activities. Requires an advanced degree. Typically reports to head of a unit/department. Being a Clinical Research Lead Scientist work is generally independent and collaborative in nature. Contributes to moderately complex aspects of a project. Working as a Clinical Research Lead Scientist typically requires 4 -7 years of related experience. (Copyright 2024 Salary.com)

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