Clinical Data Management Training and Certification Programs
Learn about degree and certificate options to obtain training in clinical data management. Find out about the classes required in those programs as well as optional professional certification.
What You Need to Know
Clinical data managers create and perform tests on pharmaceutical and medical products before they are released to the market. You can obtain a certification in clinical data management by taking an exam after completing a certification program, obtaining a college degree, or working a minimum number of hours in the field.
| Programs | Certificates in clinical data management or clinical research; bachelor's degrees in clinical design and management, health informatics or clinical research |
| Courses | Data reporting, database management, statistics, data management software, clinical data management, quality management, experiment design and regulatory affairs |
| Certification | Available from the Society for Clinical Data Management |
What Is the Importance of Clinical Data Management?
Before a new pharmaceutical or medical product can be made available to the public, it must be thoroughly researched and tested. Clinical data managers design and implement these tests, then monitor the results. In such a position, you may also be a part of the research design process, ensuring that the study is designed around the technology and processes necessary to meet government regulations.
What Will I Learn in a Certificate Program?
You can earn a certificate in clinical data management or clinical research. Such programs are most likely open to you if you already have a bachelor's degree or are a medical student. Your coursework will include:
- Data reporting
- Database management
- Statistics
- Data management software
- Data collection
- Data management
What Will I Learn With a Bachelor's Degree?
Coursework within clinical design and management, health informatics or clinical research programs should cover the subjects found on the Society for Clinical Management certification exam. Your course topics will cover the following areas:
- Clinical data management
- Quality management
- Experiment design
- Regulatory affairs
- Health informatics
- Clinical research design
What Is on the Certification Exam?
To be eligible for certification, you must have a bachelor's degree combined with two or more years of experience, or an associate's degree combined with three or more years of experience. To become eligible based on experience alone, you must either work four or more years full-time in clinical data management or the part-time equivalent.
You can elect to receive certification from the Society for Clinical Data Management. The certification exam includes questions on the following topics:
- Project management
- Research design
- Clinical trial process
- Government regulations
- Data management
- Database design
- Data query and processing
- Data validation
- Quality control