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Clinical programmers need knowledge of computer programming and medicine or science. A bachelor’s degree is required for entry-level jobs, while an advanced degree is needed for supervisory positions. They work with clinical trial databases, need strong communication skills, and must be able to meet strict deadlines. Experience in clinical research is also important.
To become a clinical programmer, knowledge of computer programming and medicine or science is usually required. To get an entry-level job as a clinical programmer, a bachelor’s degree is usually required. To obtain a supervisory position as a clinical programmer, an advanced degree is often required. Some type of experience in the field is often an additional requirement for becoming a clinical programmer.
A clinical programmer usually works with the databases used in clinical trials. Programmers can design or manage the databases used in clinical research. They can monitor and coordinate data collected in assessments and are often responsible for finding solutions to technical issues that may occur in databases. Strong communication skills are often essential for clinical programmers, as they are often the people who disseminate data to other parties involved in clinical trials.
Working primarily with computer databases, a clinical programmer often needs experience or expertise in writing computer code. A two-year degree in computer programming can provide you with the essential computer knowledge to become a clinical programmer. That alone, however, is not enough to enter the field; generally, a four-year degree is also required. That degree can be in a variety of disciplines including the sciences such as life sciences; medicine or health care, such as nursing or pharmacology; or technology, such as information systems. All of these degrees, along with computer programming knowledge, should give you a solid enough foundation to become a clinical programmer.
Previous work experience in an environment where clinical research is performed may also be required to become a clinical programmer. Two years of experience is usually enough to get an entry-level job. That kind of experience might be in pharmaceutical programming, for example. If someone wants to advance to a supervisory position as a clinical programmer, usually three to five years of experience are needed, and an advanced degree may also be required.
Other skills that may be required to become a clinical programmer include the ability to meet deadlines, because clinical trials are often very strict in their deadline standards. A willingness to work long hours can be accompanied by an ability to meet deadlines, as coordination data may take longer at the end of a clinical trial. The ability to work with a variety of people is also important if the clinical programmer is required to act as a liaison between the different groups working on the study.
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