Graduate case studies
Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.
My main responsibilities are project management of milestones, finance, and recruitment. I am responsible for coordinating local R&D approvals, contracts, and contributing to reports/outputs from the trial. I also line-manage two colleagues (a Study Monitor and Clerical Assistant), and liaise with collaborators based at Sheffield Hallam University and Cardiff University.
A typical day will start off with a meeting between my team and the Chief Investigator, to give a weekly update on the trial. This involves monitoring recruitment and troubleshooting any problems at recruiting centres. Throughout the day I will receive queries regarding the eligibility of new patients, so I tend answer emails/phone calls throughout the day. Local centres upload participant information to a bespoke online database, and so we will also troubleshoot any issues involved with data discrepancies or missing data. Each month I upload a recruitment report to the local research network, and submit annual reports to our trial management group. This sometimes involves presenting at conferences and via teleconference to our wider team/collaborators. I spend 2 days per week on my PhD studies, which involves working on my thesis, data collection and sifting through the literature for any new studies and papers that relate to my area of study.
Working in small close-knit team is something I enjoy the most about my job. We don't necessarily operate on a 'hierarchical' basis, and will help each other out if the work load is particularly busy that week. Using this approach has fostered a good working environment and minimises unnecessary stress.
The main challenge of working on a multi-centre clinical trial is recognising that there are barriers to patient recruitment that are outside of our control (such as the impact of local research capacity). We recruit patients from 50+ centres around the UK, and this involves building up a good working relationship with each local team, and problem-solving different ways to support them to reach their recruitment targets.
This area of work directly appealed to me as it involved utilising the skills learnt from both my undergraduate (Sociology) and postgraduate (Public Health) studies. At my initial interview, I expressed a desire to pursue a PhD in the future, and have since been supported to study alongside my current role.
The knowledge I gained from undertaking specific modules on the Public Health MA (Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal, and Randomised Controlled Trials) is used almost every day in this role. Working in Clinical Research also involves adhering to Good Clinical Practice and strict Data Protection laws.
Work History:
Clinical Trial Manager, Bridging the Age Gap in Breast Cancer (Phase 2, DESI Randomised Control Trial). July 2015-present.
Clinical Trial Monitor & Coordinator, Bridging the Age Gap in Breast Cancer (Phase 1, Prospective Cohort). September 2012-July 2015.
Qualifications:
• 28/03/17 – NIHR: Advancing your career as a Clinical Trialist, Leeds.
• 27/01/17 - 30/01/16 – European Cancer Organisation Congress (ECCO), Amsterdam RAI.
• 21/11/16 – Healthcare Research Governance Information (UoS)
• 06/06/16–Think Ahead: Practical Project Management for Researchers, University of Sheffield.
• 14/03/16 – Sheffield Leader: Module 2 (University of Sheffield)
• 01/02/16 – Sheffield Leader: Module 1 (University of Sheffield)
• 03/07/15 – YCR Early Phase Clinical Trials Workshop
• 21/05/15 – PgR Dementia Futures Conference (speaker and host)
• 05/03/15 – First Steps to NVivo (University of Sheffield)
• 09/01/15 – Writing a Successful Grant Application Workshop (UoS)
• 07/10/14 – Good Clinical Practice Refresher (University of Sheffield)
• 03/10/14 – White Rose Collaboration for Dementia, Collaboration and Care Workshop (The University of York)
• 27/03/14 – PhD Intensive Clinical Experience (PhDICE)
• 12/11/13 – NCRN Introduction to Cancer Course (The Christie, Manchester)
• 04/09/13 – Evidence Synthesis of Qualitative Research in Europe (University of Sheffield).
• 05/11/12 – Monitoring Non-Commercial Clinical Research Studies
• 09/10/12 – NRES Researcher Training Study Day (Manchester)
Alongside my current role I am undertaking a part-time PhD. After completing my studies, I plan to pursue an academic career and aim for a lectureship post. The University of Sheffield also offers free development courses for staff and students, which we are encouraged to attend to further our skills.
An awareness of Good Clinical Practice underpins all clinical research, and having an understanding of these guidelines is vital for working in clinical research. Gaining some experience of working on a trial from an administrative perspective is also a great starting point for pursuing a career as a Researcher or Trial Manager. Starting your career in an entry-level role (such as a CTA) can also be a valuable opportunity for learning the basics.
Last updated: 15 Feb 2018