Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research (PGDCR) Course, Eligibility, Syllabus, Fees, Scope

Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research (PGDCR) is a part- time course offered in the field of medicine. It focuses on the essential principles of Clinical Research and standard regulatory controls necessary to study the safety and efficacy of a drug or any other treatment regimen.

The course not only focuses on clinical trial conduct but also works on enhancing the required soft skills and organisational skills of the enrolled candidates. The students must hold a degree in one of the following disciplines to be eligible for a PG diploma in clinical research: Life Science or Bio-sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nursing or Allied Health.

Students must pass bachelor's degree in the field of biological sciences or psychology with a minimum percentage of 55 percent. Some universities conduct entrance tests on the basis of which a merit list is released. Top colleges that offer PGDCR are Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, Institute of Clinical Research of India, Bombay College of Pharmacy, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences and James Lind Institute.

Students can opt for careers in Clinical Research, Clinical Data Management and Clinical Trial Management. Top recruiters include Pfizer India Ltd., Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, GlaxosmithKline Pharmaceuticals ltd. and Cognizant Technologies.

Highlights for PGDCR

Eligibility for PG Diploma in Clinical Research

For admission to the PG Diploma in Clinical Research, different colleges and universities have different course eligibility criteria. Some universities accept students based on their scores in graduation and an interview, while others require students to take test entrance exams along with an interview to be admitted.

• A student must have a minimum of 55 percent in graduation.

• A student should at least be pursuing the final year of graduation in Biological Sciences or Psychology.

• PHDs, fresh graduates and working professionals are also eligible to pursue the diploma.

• Some universities also conduct entrance exams that are to be cleared to be eligible for the diploma.

Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research Admission

PGDCR colleges have different prerequisites for admission. Some colleges accept students based on their entrance exam performance and interview results. Candidates are advised to carefully follow the admission procedure. The admission process for PG Diploma in Clinical Research is as follows:

• Candidates are required to fill the registration form from the aspired college’s website.

• The second step involved in the process is appearing for the interview. The interview can either be telephonic or in person.

• The final step, after clearing the interview, is to pay the fees.

• The candidate must go through the eligibility criteria and the instructions provided by the respective colleges before applying.

Skills Required to Pursue Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research

PGDCR requires the candidates to have certain skills to perform well academically and professionally in their careers. In order to pursue this diploma, one must be skilled in certain areas so that the learning could become easier. Some of the skills that one must have are mentioned below:

• Communication skills

• Observation Skills

• Critical Thinking

• Data Analysis

• Decision Making Skills

Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research Syllabus

The entire diploma is divided into 6 Modules which are designed to provide basic and practical knowledge on clinical research, clinical trial conduct, the regulations governing it, and the required communication and organisational skills.

PG Diploma in Clinical Research Fees

The PG Diploma in Clinical Research fees varies from college to college. Most colleges require the students to pay fees in two instalments. The fees usually range between Rs.50,000 to Rs. 1 Lakh.

PG Diploma in Clinical Research Scope

There is a lot of scope after the completion of the PGDCR course. Students can get jobs relating to Clinical Research, Clinical Data Management and Clinical Trial Management. Students can also pursue higher studies such as MA in Psychology.

Career Opportunities after PGDCR

The term clinical research refers to the entire spectrum of activities involving human subjects within the process of drug development. The foundation of clinical research is the determination of the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use that may be used for prevention, treatment, diagnosis or for relief of symptoms in any disease.

Clinical Research Associate: A Clinical Research Associate (CRA) is a health-care professional who performs activities related to clinical trials. They are the soul in the field of Clinical Research. The experts find their place in various organisations such as pharmaceutical companies, medical research institutes and government agencies. Depending on the organisation’s policies different education and certification requirements may be necessary to practise as a Clinical Research Associate.

Clinical Data Manager: A Clinical Data Manager is responsible for the generation of superior quality, reliable, and statistically well-informed data from clinical trials. The ultimate goal of CDM is to ensure well-maintained data support conclusions drawn from research and thus achieving this goal protects public health and creates confidence in the world of therapeutics.

Top Recruiters:

• Novartis India Limited

• Pfizer India Limited

• Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development

• GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

• Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Ltd.

• OncoRx Pharma Pvt. Ltd.

• Quintiles India

• Cognizant Technologies

Benefits of Pursuing PG Diploma in Clinical Research

A thorough understanding of the concepts, procedures, and laws pertaining to carrying out clinical trials and research studies is provided by clinical research training programs. The curriculum is designed to make students well versed in analytics of data, ethics and legal regulations. Students who complete this training will have the abilities needed to make valuable contributions to clinical research projects.

PG Diploma in Clinical Research Salary

Candidates after the completion of PG Diploma course earn varied salaries according to different profiles. The Clinical Research salary offered at entry-level positions ranges between Rs. 2.5 - 5 LPA, for mid-level profiles Rs. 5 - 10 LPA and for senior-level profiles Rs. 10 - 20 LPA.

Source: Glassdoor

List of Top 10 Colleges in India offering PG Diploma in Clinical Research with Fees

PG Diploma in Clinical Research programmes are available at a number of Indian universities. Entrance is based on interview and graduation scores. Some of India's top institutions and institutes that offer PGDCR include:

Top Private Colleges in India offering PG Diploma in Clinical Research with Fees

PG Diploma in Clinical Research courses are offered by a number of private Indian institutes. The private institutes are slightly more expensive than a government institute. Mentioned below are the top colleges offering the PG Diploma course along with their respective fees:

Top Government Colleges in India offering PG Diploma in Clinical Research with Fees

It is less expensive to attend a government-run college than it is to attend a private college. Some of the top government colleges that offer PG Diploma in Clinical Research with their respective fees are mentioned in the following table:

Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research (PGDCR) is a part- time course offered in the field of medicine. It focuses on the essential principles of Clinical Research and standard regulatory controls necessary to study the safety and efficacy of a drug or any other treatment regimen. Students can get jobs relating to Clinical Research, Clinical Data Management and Clinical Trial Management after graduating.