Clinical Research
Clinical research is the comprehensive study of the safety and effectiveness of the most promising advances in patient care. Clinical research is different from laboratory research. It involves studying the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products, and treatment regimens to improve human health. Learn more here.
Key Skills
- Empathy
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Written & Verbal Communication
- Monitoring & Analyzing Data
- Complex Problem Solving
Common Job Titles
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Regulatory Affairs Associate/Director
- Data Manager
- Clinical Research Scientist
- Director of Clinical Operations
- Principal Investigator (PI)
Building Technical Skills Through Research Experience
Note: View Google Docs links by accessing through your @wisc.edu account login (guides are not viewable for non-Wisc emails).
- Research labs by department – Finding Campus Research
- Search for lab and research opportunities at UW Student Jobs
- UW Research Centers categorized by Career Community
- Post Postdoc, Postgrad, and Research Intern Vacancies
- NIH Post Bacc Program
- SuccessWorks Undergraduate Research Guide
Common Employers
- Hospitals & Clinics
- Research Centers
- Higher Education Institutions
- Federal/State/City/County Agencies
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Med Device Companies
- Contract Research Organizations
Education Requirements
Usually requires a bachelor’s – PhD degree in life sciences, nursing, pharmacy, or a related field.
Clinical Research at UW–Madison
- Learn about UW’s Clinical Research
- The Carbone Cancer Center
- Cancer Research Exploration
Explore Alumni Career Paths
Learn about different career paths that involve health information and data by exploring the alumni profiles on the Healthcare & Wellbeing homepage. Next, connect with an alum for a career conversation to:
- Get advice on how to break into these fields, plus more
- Learn more about their careers and experiences
- Get your questions answered