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. 2023 May 14;15(5):e39000.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.39000. eCollection 2023 May.

A Successful Gap-Year Clinical Research Technician (CRT) Program at an Academic Anesthesiology Department

Anusha N Samant  1 , Jessica E Fanelli  2 , Ashish K Khanna  3 , Scott Segal  3
Affiliations

A Successful Gap-Year Clinical Research Technician (CRT) Program at an Academic Anesthesiology Department

Anusha N Samant et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Background: Many students elect to take gap years in between graduating college and matriculating into medical school. At an academic institution, investigators can be limited in conducting research due to clinical endeavors. Utilizing a structured, clinical research, gap-year program with students called clinical research technicians (CRTs) can aid both investigators conducting research and students applying to graduate health programs. In this original article, we sought to understand CRT and investigator perceptions of and experiences in the program.

Methods: We distributed a survey to past and present CRTs and the investigators with whom they worked at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. We conducted thematic and sentiment analyses of the survey results. We also collected data on grant approvals, research funding awards, and CRT, clinical research nurse, and clinical research coordinator salaries.

Results: We received responses from 20/29 investigators and 21/22 CRTs. We identified five themes for the investigator survey, including research accuracy and precision; research output; alleviating responsibilities; cost; and likelihood of referral. We identified five themes for the CRT survey, including future career assistance; physician career insights; mentorship; likelihood of referral; and other. The majority of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with the survey statements. The majority of comments were coded as positive. All of CRTs were accepted into a graduate health profession program.

Conclusions: Our program's success demonstrates how a structured, clinical research, gap-year program for premedical students can serve as a new educational tool and important research infrastructure resource for hospitals.

Keywords: clinical research technician; educational tool; gap year; graduate health school; medical school; research resources.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared financial relationships, which are detailed in the next section.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Investigator responses to the survey. Majority of respondents “Strongly agreed” to each of the seven questions.
Figure 2
Figure 2. CRT responses to the survey. Majority of respondents “Strongly agreed” to each of the seven questions.
CRT, clinical research technician
Figure 3
Figure 3. Growth in the number of CRTs per year from 2016 to 2022.
CRTs, clinical research technicians
Figure 4
Figure 4. Growth in the number of grants awarded per year from 2016 to 2022.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Growth in research grant funding per year from 2016 to 2022. Yellow line is a linear regression fit of the data.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Research mechanistic at Wake Forest University School of Medicine Anesthesiology with the CRT-centered mini-clusters of teams consisting of CRTs, CRAs, and RNs.
OSRP, Office of Sponsored Research Program; CRT, clinical research technician; CRAs, clinical research associates; RNs, research nurses
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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