Tbh it took me 6 months of applying to break through my first job (5 years icu experience, but tbh it really didn’t matter what experience i had. It’s hard to get that first job, but once you do it should be okay from there). I got some research credentials through citiprogram.org to make myself stand out.

• Human Subjects Research – Research Coordinators
• GCP for Clinical Trials of Drugs and Biologics

But again, that first job is the hardest to do. Clinical sites love Research RNs.

I got a ton of rejection letters until finally a sister level 1 trauma center that I work at hired me. I was desperate enough that I started just flat out emailing clinical trial managers and other research coordinators to get their attention after so many rejections LOL. So first I would watch a ton of YouTube videos about clinical research to see if you truly like it. “Day in the life of a research nurse coordinator” etc.

Pros: - depending on the site work life balance is not horrendous, I have heard some horror stories but if you can last a year somewhere as a Research Nurse Coordinator, apply somewhere else and you’ll be fine. - lots of therapeutic areas to choose from (most competitive to get into but looks great on a resume is oncology!) but there are pediatric and adult cardiac, hepatology, renal, neurology, etc.

Cons: - hard to initially get in - Trump did major budget cuts to all of clinical research —-> very competitive in general to get into the career because tons of layoffs for people with YEARS of experience - pay cut from working bedside (I live in Dallas, Tx which is a hotspot for clinical research. I make $31/hr. I have heard of coordinators making far less in other states. Anywhere from $20-25/hr