The Institute of Clinical Research India (ICRI) is attracting large number of medical professionals for its post graduate course in clinical trials. The Institute's PG Diploma course in Clinical Trial Management introduced early this year is primarily targeted at medical professionals. It is now the fastest growing programme and ICRI is the only institute in the country offering this.

This year, 98 doctors including 55 MBBS, 6 MD, 28 BDS and 9 BAMS graduates have signed up for the course at its centres in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Ahmedabad. The team also includes junior and senior physicians with MD, MS qualification.

Promising job openings and attractive remuneration lure medical graduates to clinical research, Dr Pravina Koteshwar, principal, ICRI Bangalore, told Pharmabiz.

In addition to the growing number of clinical research organizations (CROs), there are hospitals and pharma-biotech companies which have started dedicated clinical research departments. India is an important hub for conducting trials even by global companies.

A visible trend catching up in the metros is the increasing interest among medical graduates to join CROs. There is also a fall in the number of general practitioners going by the rising number of specialists both in private practice and hospitals. This makes it difficult for a MBBS degree holder to get a suitable opening in a hospital or start a practice. There are around 280 medical colleges in the country with admissions varying between 100-150 students in each college. Seeking admission to a post graduate programme at medical colleges is even tough. Out of 100 applicants for a PG programme in medical schools less than 5 are selected. All these factors have attributed to doctors looking at clinical research as a viable career opening either as a part time service or full time employee, she explained.

According to an ICRI study, the clinical trials market worldwide is valued over US $45 billion. The sector has employed an estimated 2,10,000 people in the US and over 70,000 people in the UK which form one third of the total research and development staff. There are more than 2,50,000 positions vacant worldwide and annual salaries from $40,000 to $1,00,000 indicating that it is a well-paid career.

By 2010, McKinsey Report estimates, the volume of clinical research business in India is expected to be around US$ 1000 million. ICRI views that this would translate into the opening up of 50,000 new career opportunities for lifesciences and medical graduates in India. Going by the excess of doctors in India and their apprehensions for better jobs opportunities, the year- long Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Trial Management conducted only on week ends, gives them an option to either join a CRO full time or offer their services in clinical trials as coordinators on a part time.

In order to increase the awareness among doctors, ICRI organizes seminars and workshops for the medical college faculty highlighting the demand for MBBS candidates to work as clinical research investigators or join as experts on the panel of ethics committees.

ICRI currently operates from four campuses in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bangalore. By the end of the year, campuses are slated to come up at Kolkatta, Hyderabad and Kochi.