For example, before a new medicine can be approved for sale to the public, research physicians must do detailed human trials in which people are given the new drug and are monitored closely to see if the drug works or causes any harm.  

The job of a clinical research associate can vary tremendously. In some companies, you might be involved in the whole clinical trial process: sitting down with the doctor who has the idea for a trial; working out a protocol; and writing up reports after the analysis has been done. In others, you would have a medical adviser who initiates the trial - you would be involved in collecting data once the trial had been set up.

There are many types of jobs for those with training in the clinical side of biotechnology.