Will AI replace Clinical Research Coordinators?

Some of your tasks will be automated. People who use AI will have the edge.

Task exposure to today's AI

43/100

Moderate exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Clinical Research Coordinators?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 43% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: prepare study-related documentation, such as protocol worksheets, procedural manuals, adverse event reports, institutional review board documents, or progress reports. The parts that stay human include: Perform specific protocol procedures such as interviewing subjects, taking vital signs, and performing electrocardiograms.; Maintain required records of study activity including case report forms, drug dispensation records, or regulatory forms.; Monitor study activities to ensure compliance with protocols and with all relevant local, federal, and state regulatory and institutional polices..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

Prepare study-related documentation, such as protocol worksheets, procedural manuals, adverse event reports, institutional review board documents, or progress reports. 62%

Maintain required records of study activity including case report forms, drug dispensation records, or regulatory forms. 57%

Schedule subjects for appointments, procedures, or inpatient stays as required by study protocols. 53%

Maintain contact with sponsors to schedule and coordinate site visits or to answer questions about issues such as incomplete data. 47%

Assess eligibility of potential subjects through methods such as screening interviews, reviews of medical records, or discussions with physicians and nurses. 45%

Perform specific protocol procedures such as interviewing subjects, taking vital signs, and performing electrocardiograms. 10%

+ 27 more tasks (55% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

Perform specific protocol procedures such as interviewing subjects, taking vital signs, and performing electrocardiograms.
Maintain required records of study activity including case report forms, drug dispensation records, or regulatory forms.
Monitor study activities to ensure compliance with protocols and with all relevant local, federal, and state regulatory and institutional polices.

AI tools to try

ChatGPT / Claude for drafts and analysisMicrosoft 365 Copilot or Google Gemini for WorkspaceMeeting assistants (e.g. Otter, Fireflies)

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

AI for the admin load

Meeting notes, summaries and follow-ups with AI.
First drafts of reports, plans and emails.
Spreadsheet analysis with AI (formulas, charts, explanations).

Project

Use AI to draft a de-identified adverse event report template and procedural manual section, then time the editing versus writing from scratch.

Phase 2

Decisions with better input

Use AI to research options and summarise sources, then check them.
Scenario and risk analysis with AI as a sparring partner.
Set team rules for what may and may not go into AI tools.

Project

Use AI to summarize 5 published eligibility criteria sets for a trial type, verify against source protocols, and draft team rules on inputting no patient data.

Phase 3

Lead the change

Map which team tasks AI can take over or speed up.
Run a small pilot and measure time and quality.
Plan training and new roles for your team.

Project

Pilot AI-assisted screening-interview question generation for one week, measure minutes saved per subject screened, and plan a training session on findings.

Take the free 11-question test