Growth of the clinical trial sector in India has increased demand for professionals in the field. To ensure there is a workforce capable of supporting continued growth in the sector the Institute of Clinical Research in India (ICRI) and Accenture are jointly developing a training course.
SK Gupta, dean of ICRI said: "This kind of initiative is imperative in a nascent yet thriving industry such as ours. With Accenture's subject matter expertise and our faculty's dedication, we seek to provide a knowledgeable and high-skilled talent pool graduating from this programme."
The 360 hour programme can be done over a period of six to 12 months. Participants will learn: basics of clinical research, pharmacovigilance and regulations; case processing; aggregate report; and risk management in pharmacovigilance and signal detection.
Development of the programme will be supported by expertise Accenture possesses in trainer education and curriculum content development, execution and delivery. This will be achieved through guest lectures and certification and reassessment of trainers to ensure consistent quality.
Initially the programme will be offered in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. It is targeted towards post-graduate students in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy or life sciences who have passed the Accenture-ICRI certificate course in PG Diploma in Clinical Research and Pharmacovigilance.
“The course aims to equip students with practical industry knowledge and placement opportunities to students graduating from the programme”, said Rajiv Verma, chief operating officer of ICRI. Accenture will screen applicants through campus interviews for employment.