The field of clinical research has changed considerably in the past 20 years, and staff supporting the research are asked to take on additional responsibilities, learn new processes, and be continuously educated on modernized policies and procedures. To address the increased responsibilities and complexities of work, Duke University School of Medicine leadership agreed that an overhaul of job descriptions for clinical research professionals was needed. A working group was created, assembling administrative leaders, human resources personnel, and clinical research subject matter experts. The group used the competencies developed by the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency as the foundation for this work. Ultimately, they simplified the number of job classifications at Duke from approximately 80 to 12 and mapped over 700 employees into the new jobs. They recently published a paper which describes the effort and the lessons learned. To review the paper click this link.
The UK Integrated Workforce Framework: NIHR
October 26, 2017
The UK National Institute for Health Research(NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) has used the JTF Framework in a clinical research workforce development initiative called the Integrated Workforce Framework (IWF). This is part of a national project that included input from a selection of stakeholders and endorsed by a project board from the UK Department of Health. This was built upon existing resources that were tried and tested, including the Royal College of Nursing Framework for Clinical Research Nurses (2011) and the Joint Task Force Clinical Research Core Competency Framework (Sonstein et al, 2014). Read more
Core Competency Framework Version 2.0
September 01, 2017
Core Competencies Applied: PRAXIS Australia
August 31, 2017
PRAXIS Australia has used the Harmonized Core Competency Framework to create flexible learning opportunities for the Australian research sector.
PRAXIS Australia Ltd (PRAXIS) is an Australian not for profit/charity organisation, founded by two of Australia’s leading academic institutions, University of Sydney and Monash University (via another NGO, Global Reconciliation Ltd), and the largest provider of independent ethics review in Australia, Bellberry Limited. Their mission is to enhance the understanding and practice of ethical research for the benefit of the broader community, via the provision of various training options, underpinned by two flagship training models – HREC Essentials and Research Essentials.
Core Competencies Applied: Committee On Accreditation Of Academic Programs In Clinical Research
April 26, 2017
The first academic programs in Clinical Research were developed in the late 1990s. Those early programs were successful in providing a pipeline of new, highly qualified graduates to the clinical research enterprise. With the increasing number and complexity of clinical trials and the severe shortage of qualified new clinical research professionals, these graduates continue to be highly sought after today.
Clinical Research has thus become a recognized academic discipline, and there are more than 50 academic programs in the US and more than 50 in other parts of the world.
Core Competencies Applied: Duke University School of Medicine
March 22, 2017
The Harmonized Core Competency Framework was utilized in a major workforce development effort at Duke University. Rebecca Brouwer (Associate Director for Research Operations at Duke Office of Clinical Research) and Denise Snyder (Associate Dean for Clinical Research at Duke School of Medicine) spearheaded this effort to reclassify all research professional positions within Duke University. (more…)