Hello everyone,

I’ve been working in clinical research for six years, with the last three as a Clinical Research Associate (CRA), and I'm now starting to think about the long-term career opportunities available in this field, particularly those that may involve startup culture or equity stakes, similar to what I've seen in the tech world. I find my current role as a CRA II at a major CRO quite boring, and while the pay is good, I feel my current work:life balance is unsustainable. Additionally, I don’t think I have too much more room for financial growth - Sr CRA's do not make much more than I do, in general.

The wealthiest people that I personally know all had early roles in tech companies that eventually went public, and they were able to significantly benefit from stock options or equity. I’m wondering if there are similar opportunities to get involved early in clinical research startups or smaller biotech firms that could offer financial rewards as they grow or go public.

Specifically, I’m curious about:

Startup or Early-Stage Opportunities: Are there clinical research organizations (CROs) or biotech companies that offer early roles with equity compensation, or perhaps other creative incentives for those who come in during the early growth phases?

Private Equity in Clinical Research: I know that a fair amount of clinical research is funded by private equity, and when interest rates are low (covid) our industry was booming, and when interest rates have been high (post covid), pipelines have seemed to dry up. How does private equity factor into the world of clinical research? Are there pathways to work with or within private equity firms that focus on healthcare or biotech, and do they offer equity stakes in the companies they invest in?

Pathways to Involvement: For those of you who have taken an unconventional path in clinical research or have worked with biotech startups or private equity firms, what advice would you have for someone looking to pivot into those kinds of roles?

I know these types of opportunities may be more common in tech, but I’m wondering if there’s a similar avenue in the clinical research or healthcare sector that offers both the excitement of growth and the potential for financial reward.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts