Whether you have a full-time job or you're unemployed, it's easy to make some extra cash by participating in medical studies. Medical studies are a great way to not only make money but also to help out the people around you. Read on to learn more about paid medical studies and how you can participate.

What Are Medical Studies?

Medical studies vary widely, but they all have one thing in common: doctors and scientists perform medical studies to test theories about health. In some cases, this means testing medications versus a placebo sugar pill to find out if something really works or not. In simpler cases, medical studies can simply follow people's lives to find out how their living habits impact their health over time.

Medical studies come in all shapes and sizes, so if the idea of being a test subject for a drug or procedure scares you, don't worry. Plenty of medical studies never give their participants medications or perform procedures, and in some cases, you might not even have to personally meet with a medical professional to complete your study, as some are performed over the phone.

Qualification Process

If you want to try out for medical studies, there are two good places to start. One is to look for a medical study center near you that's actively seeking participants. Another is to reach out to your local health center.

Qualifying for a medical research study differs from study to study. The one commonality is that the doctors and scientists running the study are going to have a certain type of person in mind already. That means that they have a profile they're looking for, and if you match it, you'll be considered for the study. This might mean that you could be asked about your age, ethnicity, health, or sleeping habits. Rest assured that the information is used to pair you with a study.

What To Expect

Once you pass the preliminary qualifications for your study, you'll be interviewed. If the person running the interview believes you're a good match, you'll be briefed on what the study entails and what you would be expected to do. From here, you can decide whether to participate or not.

If you sign up, you'll need to follow the directions you're given very carefully.

Paid research is a valid way of making a little extra money, just like donating plasma. The studies you participate in will help scientists to discover more about how the human body works and to discover new and exciting treatments for serious conditions.