Hi, I am a research scientist looking to transition into life science consulting. I got invited for 1st round interview at CRA and I was wondering if anyone knows a good source for case interview prep for complete beginner and if anyone else out there is also applying for life science consulting as well.
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It's great you've landed that CRA interview – transitioning from research is a path many take, and firms like CRA truly value that deep scientific expertise. For your first round, especially coming from a research background, they're not necessarily expecting you to be a case interview master right out of the gate.
What they are looking for is your ability to structure ambiguous problems, think logically under pressure, and apply your scientific intuition to business challenges. While general guides like Case in Point are solid for understanding core frameworks, your critical next step is finding life science-specific cases. Focus on common industry scenarios: market sizing for a new therapeutic, competitive landscape analysis, R&D portfolio prioritization, or commercial strategy for a medical device. Practice articulating your thought process clearly, translating complex scientific concepts into actionable business insights.
The best way to get up to speed quickly is to practice cases out loud with others. Look for practice partners who understand the life sciences context – often you can find them through university career centers, LinkedIn groups, or even former colleagues who've made similar transitions. Their feedback on how you frame problems and communicate your solutions will be invaluable.
Good luck with the prep and the interview!
Here is what I would tell you as someone who has seen a lot of scientists make this transition.
CRA is different from MBB. Their cases are more technical and rooted in actual life science problems. Think drug pricing, market access, clinical trial strategy, competitive landscape for a specific therapeutic area. So generic case prep will only get you part of the way.
For a complete beginner, start here:
- Get comfortable with basic case structure first. You do not need to master every framework. Just learn how to break a problem into parts and work through it logically.
- Then shift to life science specific scenarios. Practice questions like: should this pharma company launch in this market? What is the commercial potential of this drug? How would you assess the competitive landscape for a biosimilar? CRA leans heavily in this direction.
- Your research background is your biggest asset. Do not hide it behind generic consulting language. CRA is hiring you because you understand science. They want to see you take that scientific thinking and apply it to a business problem.
One thing most scientists get wrong in these interviews. They go too deep into the science and forget to land a clear "so what." CRA wants to see you can translate complexity into a recommendation a client can act on. Practice that specifically.
Also, reach out to people already at CRA on LinkedIn. Most life science consultants are happy to chat because many of them made the same transition. A 15 minute conversation will tell you more than any prep book.
Hope this helps, and good luck with the process.
