Hi @SAShole,
Yes, I made the transition -- from direct marketing to clinical research. In the early 2000s (before the full advent of CDISC standards) I was in a similar situation, but I had only 4+ years of SAS experience and was working in my first job as an analyst in Germany. I was surprised how difficult it was to move directly from one industry to the other. The typical requirement in pharma at that time was "at least two years of experience."
What finally helped me was an intermediate job. In my case it was at a university where I worked on a research project -- gene technology in agriculture, i.e. not pharma, but biostatistics -- in addition to teaching duties (as a mathematician). After about three years I applied for pharma jobs, primarily biostatistician roles. (I think I could have done it earlier, but I liked that university job.) My first position in the new industry was at a CRO. A few years later I worked at a big pharma company (now as a Senior Statistical Programmer), which was eventually the key to freelancing. Looking back, the transition was worth the effort.
But why not also apply for some of those Clinical Trials jobs? After all, people with "3-5 years of experience" must have started somewhere. And your "10+ years of SAS experience" should be appreciated.
Good luck for your transition!
