Staff Management at a Research Clinic

By Alison Nowak

As the Practice Manager and Research Director at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, I manage the day-to-day operations and personnel in our research practice. As both a stakeholder myself and the head of a team that supports other stakeholders, I am tasked with managing a staff whose training, commitment, and reliability is integral to the successful execution of our various clinical trials.

When you’re involved in the patient-facing elements of a clinical trial, it’s important to have the right personnel with the right trainings to ensure first and foremost, that patients are well-taken care of while all aspects of the trials are adequately addressed. Those wishing to learn how to design a staff that supports a clinical trial should read on.

Various Roles in a Research Clinic

While each ophthalmic research clinic has unique interests and passions, most of them are supported by a staff in defined roles that are foundational to any research clinic—for example, research coordinator, photographer, vision technician, etc. These roles and responsibilities are generally consistent regardless of the size, focus, or scope of the clinic or clinical trial. Sponsors need confirmation that the site has the right group of staff members to execute on their trial.

Hiring

Investing time in the hiring process is crucial. In my experience, technical qualifications should be considered alongside passion, soft skills, and a genuine interest in clinical research. Ophthalmology has a steep learning curve, and regular training and onboarding programs are essential to bring new hires up to speed. In that sense, candidates with previous clinical experience and a history of working with human patients are valuable.

A Comprehensive Team Protects Against Trial Disruption

Turnovers in clinical research, like in other industries, are not uncommon. This can get challenging especially when the team member is involved in an active trial. Vacancies created when a team member departs (eg, for another job) or is temporarily unavailable (eg, medical leave, paternity leave) risks bringing research to a standstill. Having a comprehensive team helps mitigate disruption. As you build your research staff, cross-training employees to perform multiple roles so that they can be re-assigned to various responsibilities as needed becomes important.

Planning for the Future

With advances in technology, the rise of remote work, and the ever-growing pipeline of drug candidates, the landscape of clinical research is poised for transformation and growth. As you embark on this journey, keep your team flexible, inspire their sense of curiosity, and remind them to focus on their core mission: enhancing patient outcomes through reliable, scientifically sound clinical trial collaboration.

About the Author

Alison Nowak has been the Research Director and Practice Manager for the Retina Service at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston for over 20 years.