Research Associates Programs

1. Research Associates Programs Frank Illuzzi, MD, FACEP Keith Bradley, MD Ryan King, BSEE Stephanie Carro-Kowalcyk, BA Chava Freund, BS Mike Molloy, BS Sarra Kennedy, MBA Erika Gardener, BS

2. Obstacles to Research in the ED • $ • “I was too busy” • “Not my job” • “All you have to do is this one more, little thing” • 24/7

3. An Answer to Some of the Obstacles to Research Needed: • bright, motivated individuals • primary responsibility = research • focused experts on the details of the research • on-site in the • 24/7 ED • available in large numbers • "free“ = willing to be paid with something besides money Who did they get for the job?

4. Think of These Numbers • > 1/2 • half the U.S. population goes to an emergency department each year as a patient or visitor • 4 • average number of hours for an ED visit •  500,000 • college students and post-bacs interested in medical school

5. Research Associates Pre-health professional students who want: • significant research experience • significant clinical experience • a specific role in the ED (vs. just shadowing) • exposure to a diverse patient population • an evaluated patient-care experience

6. Research Associates Functions • enroll participants in clinical research • demographic and historical information • physical parameters • read scripted informed consent • facilitate the research • “stuff”

8. Research Associates Responsibilities • participate in training and orientation • volunteer one 4-hour shift per week per academic semester • receive evaluations by RA Program Staff • patient interaction skills • follow research protocol • accurate data collection

9. RA Programs Benefits • Research is done effectively, efficiently, while minimizing impact on clinical care • RAs get clinical exposure and research experience • Advisers have a guaranteed evaluated clinical experience for their students Win-Win-Win

10. Research Associates Program Process • recruit - local colleges during the school year - nationally for the summer semester • orientation sessions (8 hrs. / weekend day x 2) • basics of clinical research • ethical issues • safety • specifics on data collection for each study

11. RA Program at St. Vincent’s Medical Center • 65,000 patient visit ED • largest ED in largest city in CT • diverse patient population • Level 2 Trauma Center • major teaching affiliate of University of Connecticut School of Medicine

12. Do RA Programs Work? Since 1994, • ≈ 36,000 participants enrolled in 22 clinical research studies by ≈ 900 RAs • → research focus: the emergency department as a site to facilitate primary care screening

13. Tobacco Cessation Study • 3125 participants enrolled in 21 weeks • 54% smoked at some point in their lives • 22% within the preceding 30 days • 18% of smokers accepted CT Quitline referral • 38% of those who smoked within preceding 30 days • ≈ 50% of all CT Quitline referral s in the state during those weeks

14. Research Associates at St. V’s Studies For 2011/2012 • Tobacco Cessation Study • 2011 validation, three hospitals in CT • 2012 national, multi-center • Service for Cancer Screenings

15. Research Associates at St. V’s Becoming a RA • Application: www.RAProgram.org • Application fee: $200 • Criminal Background Check • drug testing • health clearance (varicella/chickepox, hepaitis B, TB) • uniform shirts x 2 • administrative fee • HPA letter of endorsement (from website)

16. Research Associates at St. V’s Shifts chosen according to time application and payment received ! Summer semesters, 2011 mandatory orientation  Semester 1: Saturday and Sunday, 4 and 5 June  Semester 2: Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 June at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Bridgeport need more information? ChiefRA@RAProgram.org

17. Chief RAs Responsibilities • Program Director's assistants • develop their program’s • recruiting, personnel management, scheduling, website, database management • “first port of call” for line-RAs' on-shift issues

18. Chief RAs Opportunities • involved in all stages of the clinical research from concept inception through publication • attend didactic sessions and research meetings of their department of emergency medicine • principal or associate investigators on study(ies) Jump Start Your Career!

19. Chief RA Success To date: 20 prior CRAs + 5 current CRAs 17 accepted to health professional schools medical school (13) dental school, nursing school → DNP, and a PhD in clinical research (1 each) 7 in the application cycle

20. National Alliance of Research Associates Programs(NARAP) • RA programs in multiple hospitals around the U.S. • clinical research consortium on the ED as a site to facilitate primary care screening • tens of thousands of participants enrolled in clinical studies over short time periods • NARAP RA Programs need Chief RAs

21. NARAP Member Institutions CT Hartford Hospital/UConn* Lawrence & Memorial St. Vincent’s. Bridgeport* DC Georgetown MAUMass MOSt. Louis University NE Creighton University NJ Hackensack U. Med Center* NY University of Rochester * NV University of Nevada* PA Jefferson* TN Delta Med Center, Memphis TX Seton / U Texas, Austin* VTUVM WA Pullman Regional (*Chief Positions filled)

22. Becoming a Chief RA Eligibility • undergraduate degree and pre-req courses done • intention = apply to health professional school • recommendation of health professions adviser More Information and Application www.theNARAP.org

23. Watch “ER” on TVand guess what it’s like; Be a Research Associate in the Emergency Department and know.

24. So, If You See the Potential … RA Program at St. Vincent’s www.RAProgram.org Chief RA in NARAP hospital • www.theNARAP.org

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