What is Clinical Research?
In the U.S., clinical trials are generally broken down into four phases. In phase I trials, drugs or treatments are tested on a small number of humans (fewer than 100) for the first time. In Phase II trials, a larger group of people is chosen. In Phase III trials, the experimental drug or treatment is given to over 1,000 people to confirm its safety and effectiveness and to monitor side effects. Phase IV trials are post-marketing studies for delineating extra information about risks and benefits.
Quick Scope of Local Opportunities
The first step most people take when getting into this line of work is to do a regular search engine search for clinical research studies taking place in their state. Do you live near a major teaching hospital? Check their website as well. In general, the larger the city, the more opportunities there are to participate in clinical research studies.
Sign Up
Once you uncover opportunities in your area for which you believe you qualify, visit the website of the clinical research facility and sign up. This will involve filling out numerous forms. It is crucial that you answer all the questions truthfully and completely. Depending on what the research study involves, they could be looking for people with certain medical conditions, or they could be looking for people who do not have any major medical conditions. Different studies have different criteria, so answering questions truthfully is extremely important. You never know what a particular study might need.
Follow Up
It can be a good idea to phone the facility after signing up. Sometimes the clinical research coordinator will be able to give you more information about what the study is about and how likely you are to be chosen to participate. You can't always find out more with a phone call, but sometimes you can, and within reason, showing your interest will help keep you fresh in their minds.
Find Others like You
There are a number of websites that are by, about, and for people who make their living participating in clinical research studies. These sites can be great resources for finding studies farther away that you not have known about and for learning what to expect when you're chosen to participate in a research study.
Don't be Afraid
Clinical research has to follow very strict guidelines and must protect the subject's health to the best of the ability of the researchers. Studies may take place on an outpatient basis or within a hospital. If you are chosen, it's your job to follow instructions exactly so that others may benefit most from the research. Sometimes it can be as simple as taking a pill and having follow up tests, and sometimes it involves procedures like having blood drawn or having a magnetic resonance imaging scan.
Keep your Luggage Handy
You could well end up traveling long distances for some research studies, and sometimes the scientists and/or pharmaceutical company will pay for travel costs. If your study involves staying in a research facility or hospital, the researchers will have activities like movies and video games so you won't be too bored. You may have to be ready to travel quickly, however, so it is important that you have a schedule that is flexible and ready help for things like watching your pets while you are gone.
You can learn much more about what to expect from participation in clinical research trials by going to the websites of major medical centers like the Mayo Clinic or the National Institutes of Health.
