Tell Us About Your Background as a Study Coordinator?

I’m Mohana Priya, graduated from Management and Science university Shah Alam with the Degree of Medical Science (hons) in 2010.

1.  Tell us about your background as a Study Coordinator?

I step into clinical research field as my second job in Clinical Investigation Centre, University Malaya Medical Centre(UMMC) on 11 Apr 2011, and was placed under Oncology Unit for handling clinical trial in Oncology Department. When I joined oncology I had 2 senior study coordinator, who gave their guidance on clinical trial and train them to work with oncology trial. I have also attended intermediated study coordinator workshop in 2011  which made me work more efficiently handling more study in the same time. After 18 months working as study coordinator I have wanted explore more into CRO, therefore I joined Quintiles as Clinical Trial Assistant, which made me understand more about documentation and quality keeping of documents in site, After a year plus with Quintiles I have decided to come back to site level, to increase the quality of productivity of study ran in site level and also became the Data Base Manager for Oncology department in UMMC

I have joined Clinical research Malaysia on 5 Jan 2015, I love the new challenge I received to join as a study coordinator in Oncology Department Hospital Kuala Lumpur, I manage to encourage my investigators to take up more studies in oncology, and yes we are doing more trial today, and always welcoming new trial to our department.

It’s my fourth year in this field, my goal in my career is to be Auditor for Clinical research.

What is a typical work week like for a Study Coordinator?

Works starts at 8 am till 5pm (as per office hour) but Study coordinator will sometimes need to stay back till work is completed, maybe by 7pm because awaiting Principal Investigator for signature and also internet works faster after office hours. Every day is not the same day, we will face new things every day and learn new things from everyone around us

As study coordinator we need to plan ahead for:

1. Patient visit- we will need to remind patient on the upcoming visit
2. Prepare lab kits for blood withdraw on the next day, and always plan ahead of schedule.
3. Act as schedulers. For example, assure study subjects are scheduled with the doctor and any other procedures that might be required to complete that visit such as CT Scan plans, mammograms, ultrasounds, bone scans, x-ray, and also prepare for treatment scheduling, start time if there is any PK sampling involve so that it will not disturb the other staff schedule
4. Gather lab results, or procedure reports such as CT Scan, XRAY, Histology), and assure the investigator reviews them in a timely manner.
5. Documentation of what we have done have to accurate and updated
6. Update our Electronic data capture timely manner

1. What education & training is required to be Study Coordinator?

Someone from Science background and filling to learn new things every day. Good Clinical Practice(GCP) , Dangerous Goods (IATA), Phlebotomy  Certificate and also basic knowledge of handling patient

1. What skills set do employers seek and value most in a Study Coordinator?

Time management

Today’s work has to completed today and never delay the work as we might never know what will happen we came in tomorrow our office, and there might be significant delay on our yesterday’s work.

Communication

 The way we need to communicate with our investigator, patients and also Clinical Research Associate, we must always remember we are team, and not alone.SC must understand when to talk and how to put the words to speak to everyone