Coordinator, Clinical Studies - Goal Concordant Care Research

Full-time

Houston, TX

Ambulatory Health Care Services

About the position

The Coordinator for Clinical Studies at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center plays a crucial role in the mission to eliminate cancer through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research, and prevention. This position is primarily focused on coordinating clinical research protocols, particularly within the Center for Goal Concordant Care Research. This center aims to improve communication among patients, caregivers, and clinicians, enhancing the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer and their families. The coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that research studies align with the goals of providing high-quality end-of-life care and improving patient outcomes. The role involves several key functions, including the recruitment and enrollment of study participants, where the coordinator will screen and identify eligible patients through electronic health records and other data sources. They will contact potential participants to recruit them for studies, obtain informed consent, and document the consent process accurately. Additionally, the coordinator will be responsible for collecting study data by administering questionnaires and entering data into case report forms, ensuring that all data is recorded following source documentation guidelines. Another significant aspect of the position is data entry and database maintenance. The coordinator will track study participants throughout enrollment, maintain accurate records, and ensure timely and accurate data entry into institutional databases. They will also compile data and generate reports as needed, providing support for various submissions related to protocols, grants, abstracts, and manuscripts. The coordinator will also engage in study coordination, which includes creating and maintaining standard operating procedures, coordinating study meetings, and acting as a liaison among the Principal Investigator, study participants, and the research team. They will assist with regulatory document submissions and ensure compliance with institutional, state, and federal policies related to clinical trials. Professional development is also a key component of this role, as the coordinator will be expected to attend mandatory trainings and communicate effectively with institutional personnel. Overall, this position is vital in supporting the Center's mission to enhance patient-clinician communication and improve care for patients with advanced cancer.

Responsibilities

• Screens and accurately identifies patients eligible for research studies by reviewing electronic health records or other data.
• Contacts eligible potential research participants to recruit for research studies.
• Obtains informed consent from study participants and documents the informed consent process in the electronic medical record.
• Completes all study documentation required for human subjects research.
• Accurately collects study data by administering questionnaires to study participants and completing other study assessments as per protocol.
• Collects and enters data into case report forms (CRFs).
• Extracts patient data from electronic medical records.
• Records data and procedures following source documentation guidelines.
• Tracks study participants throughout study enrollment and maintains accurate and up-to-date enrollment records.
• Maintains institutional, department, and protocol specific databases for enrolled patients.
• Enters collected study data in a timely and accurate manner and verifies accurate data entry.
• Compiles data and generates reports, as requested.
• Creates and maintains standard operating procedures and other protocol related documents.
• Coordinates study meetings and provides weekly updates to Principal Investigator, manager, and research team.
• Acts as a liaison with Principal Investigator, study participants, research team, collaborators, and other study personnel.
• Assists with submissions of required regulatory documents, including Institutional Review Board submissions, amendments, continuing reviews, and audits.
• Organizes paper and electronic study files, regulatory binders, and source documents and ensures all documents are accurate and up-to-date.
• Attends mandatory trainings and other events as assigned to remain current of policies and procedures related to research and institutional core competencies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Three years of experience in patient-facing research, including recruitment, data collection, and communicating directly with study participants.
• If holding a preferred degree, one year of required experience is acceptable.

Nice-to-haves

• Bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Knowledge of Epic, REDCap, and Qualtrics systems.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Opportunities for professional development and training
• Access to cutting-edge research and clinical practices
• Collaboration with global experts in oncology and patient care