Clinical Data Managers: Career & Application Guide

What do clinical data managers do?

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

This describes a U.S. occupation, not a live vacancy. Individual employers may use different titles and requirements.

O*NET reports these titles for this occupation. Compare the responsibilities in each posting before treating titles as equivalent.

Design and validate clinical databases, including designing or testing logic checks.
Process clinical data, including receipt, entry, verification, or filing of information.
Generate data queries, based on validation checks or errors and omissions identified during data entry, to resolve identified problems.
Develop project-specific data management plans that address areas such as coding, reporting, or transfer of data, database locks, and work flow processes.
Monitor work productivity or quality to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures.
Prepare appropriate formatting to data sets as requested.
Design forms for receiving, processing, or tracking data.
Prepare data analysis listings and activity, performance, or progress reports.
Confer with end users to define or implement clinical system requirements such as data release formats, delivery schedules, and testing protocols.
Perform quality control audits to ensure accuracy, completeness, or proper usage of clinical systems and data.

Check the employer’s requirements, location, schedule and any licenses against your situation.
Choose two or three tasks above that match the posting and your actual experience.
Build a resume evidence worksheet using the skills and software relevant to that employer.
Practice explaining your contribution, decisions and results before an interview.

Start with clinical data managers as your target. You can change your role in the quiz and tell us your location and work preferences.