Sukriti carries a rich experience in varied work backgrounds with law, art sales, and art advisory being some of the areas where she has worked. Her educational qualifications extend to include the legal practice course from BPP Law School, London, an LL. B from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London), and an LL.M from University College London (UCL) with a specialization in mergers and acquisitions.
The world has undergone transformational changes across the last few decades. With globalization, the rise in internet, and technological advancements consistently changing the landscape of the way industries function, the educational industry has witnessed the birth and development of several new academic fields in these times. Further, the pandemic that has overcome the world in the last two years too has spelled out drastic changes in all industries and the pertaining demands and supplies.
Awareness and innovation in the healthcare sector have been on the rise in recent times. The education industry of this field, too, was not left untouched by the changing dynamics and underwent several shifts in terms of industry demand. While the modifications and fluctuations altered the scope of education and employment in some fields, it enhanced the reach of others and even introduced some new players in the new age education and career market.
One such career field is Clinical research. Recent times have witnessed rapid growth in the demand for qualified professionals in this field. This growth can be attributed to the robust surge that the industry has witnessed in its market size as highlighted in a report by Markets and Markets research firm that stated that the market for clinical trial management systems is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.7 % and value $1,590 million by end of FY 2025.
The rise of the Clinical Research and Data Management field
The field of Clinical research is fast-growing in the present times. Clinical data management is a critical aspect of the comparatively longer process of clinical research and is one of the prominent sectors of the discipline that is leading the process’ growth.
Clinical research is the research-based study done to evaluate the efficacy of a possible treatment and its effects on humans. Clinical trials are conducted on selected volunteers to evaluate the potency of the treatment being tested. The observations as derived are then consolidated and analyzed by experts to assess the relevance of a particular treatment or drug. The process of clinical research is an inherent part of the healthcare industry as it lies at the core of innovation and development.
Clinical research has witnessed rapid global progress in recent decades as medical innovations have spiked. One process that forms a critical part of clinical research operations is clinical data management. The process of clinical data management begins after the initial research has been done and the trial has been conducted. The recordings and observations of the trials are then forwarded to professionals for them to analyze the data and conclude the research. This analysis and conclusion are what the clinical data management process is all about. The process of data management in this field seeks to keep track of all details pertaining to a particular treatment so as to assess its performance, side effects, and results in the long run.
Covid and its impact
The spread of the Covid virus has undeniably surged the requirement of clinical trials. As the world struggled to drive away from the pandemic, several vaccines and treatments were formulated and had to be tested the world around, which led to a substantial increase in the trials being conducted globally. This added to the need for more people in the field and thereby significantly boosted the employment opportunities in the field.
The Government took note of the surge and realized the importance of investing in fields of healthcare and clinical research and management in these testing times as well. Thus it is safe to say that Covid has significantly fuelled the importance being attributed to the healthcare field and has served as a reminder of the need for better and improved healthcare across the country.
The scope of education in Clinical Research
Academic programs in the field of clinical research and pharmacovigilance have been in considerable demand for the last decade and a half. A majority of the students that opt for this course are from life sciences backgrounds. The career prospects after the course are pretty inviting in today’s context and include job opportunities in not only India but also abroad. As established, clinical research is fast surging in present times and holds immense promise in the future as well. This growth is extended globally, and thus the employment opportunities in the field are only increasing with time. This makes clinical research a very alluring field for the new-age students.
Overview of the curriculum
The curriculum that is taught to students opting for courses in clinical research stretches to give them not only the basic theoretical knowledge but also practical and program-based guidance. Additionally, the curriculum of a good clinical research course covers the ethical and moral aspects of the field. It is critical for a person working in the healthcare field to be in touch with their ethical side. This is because any kind of bias, adulteration, or duplicity in medical reports and treatments can cost lives. Thus, a comprehensive course seeks to cover all the essentials of the field including good moral policies.
Summing up
The advent of the global pandemic, amongst several other factors has led to the surge in employment opportunities as present in the healthcare sector. A field in the sector that is gaining fast prominence is career research and data management. One can avail education in this discipline to get an edge in the future where the discipline is expected to grow rapidly.