Clinical Research Associate — Site Monitoring
The sponsor's field liaison to hospital trial sites. You travel to sites to conduct Source Data Verification, audit protocol adherence, and monitor patient safety. Direct fresher entry is rare due to regulatory risk — the standard route is 1–2 years as a CTA or CRC first, then Junior CRA. Well-paid and high-autonomy, but monitoring travel of 50–80% is the defining lifestyle trade.
The steps in this path
Common questions
Effectively no — CROs won't put an untrained monitor on sites because of audit risk. Accept a CTA (CRO desk) or CRC (hospital site) role for 12–18 months; that experience is the entry ticket to Junior CRA.