Career Outlook

Just as Northwestern's Master of Science in Clinical Research and Regulatory Administration follows the whole process of research - from clinical trials to management and compliance - program participants prepare themselves for a whole range of career opportunities. Recent growth in clinical and translational research has heightened the need for highly skilled clinical research teams to work at academic medical centers and other research sites as well as in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries. In addition to enjoying better-than-average employment prospects, these specialists perform work that advances scientific knowledge and improves patient care.

CRRA participants focus on regulatory affairs and administration or on the design and conduct of clinical trials, with wide-ranging and sometimes overlapping professional opportunities in both areas. The Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) reports that regulatory affairs encompasses "a variety of disciplines and job responsibilities, which . . . often begin in the research and development phases, moving into clinical trials and extending through premarket approvals, manufacturing, labeling and advertising and post-market surveillance." RAPS identifies a wide range of products and services that must conform to government and industry standards: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, biologics and biotechnology, nutritional products, cosmetics, and veterinary products. The Society of Clinical Research Associates (SoCRA) lists the following subgroups for employment: clinical research associates, clinical research coordinators, research nurses, research managers, project managers, and data managers. Listings of professional opportunities in these areas are maintained by RAPS, SoCRA, the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, and the-scientist.com.

Because many CRRA participants already possess graduate or professional degrees, salary levels will vary accordingly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 20 percent growth in employment for medical scientists between 2006 and 2016. Medical scientists in general earned a median annual salary of $61,680 in 2006, with a median salary of $82,640 for those employed in pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing. SoCRA reports "significantly higher than average income" for individuals with advanced degrees, professional experience, and certification.