The journals Frontiers in Medicine and Frontiers in Pharmacology have recently published 11 articles on the research topic: Building the Clinical Research Workforce: Challenges, Capacities and Competencies. The articles cover the following topics:
– Clinical research roles and professionalism
– Clinical research academic education, training and competency development, assessment
– Clinical research professional employment, retention, progression
– Diversity of the clinical research workforce
– Applications and contributions of the JTF Framework
– Clinical research workforce development in the setting of the evolving clinical research paradigm
– Clinical research team science, defining research teams, workforce spectrum
The following articles and an overview of the research topic can be accessed at this website.
DIAMOND Portal
October 23, 2023
The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) highlighted the JTF on the DIAMOND Portal, a portal that provides access to training materials for clinical research professionals and others on the research team. DIAMOND stands for Development, Implementation, and Assessment of Novel Training in Domain-based Competencies.
The DIAMOND Portal, brings together trainings in the eight competency domains of the JTF Framework, ranging from the specifics of running trials to more general topics, such as leadership and professionalism. The portal also includes assessments that study teams can use to assess the training of staff members. In addition, research professionals can boost their careers by maintaining an electronic portfolio of their training materials through DIAMOND. While the initiative began as a way to share materials developed at the CTSA Program hubs, now additional resources can be uploaded to the portal.
ACRP presented on workforce development and interrelation with JTF
June 02, 2023
At the April 2023 annual meeting of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), Susan Landis and Erika Stevens presented on workforce development in clinical research and its interrelationship with the JTF Core Competency Framework. A blog on the topic can be found here.
JTF Framework used to develop certificate program
September 09, 2022
In order to fill the gap in junior investigator training, Tufts University Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) has utilized the JTF Core Competency Framework to develop an eight-module, certificate program to teach aspiring clinician-investigators about good clinical practice, clinical research processes, and federal and local regulatory requirements.
Results of global survey of clinical research professionals
May 26, 2022
Recently, the JTF published in Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science the results of a global survey of clinical research professionals who were asked to self-assess their level of competency for each of the 8 domains of the JTF Framework. The results were very similar to those of a similar 2016 published JTF survey showing that irrespective of role, years of experience or educational level, lower levels of competency were expressed in the domains of Scientific Concepts and Research Design and Investigational Product Development and Regulation. The recent survey showed an additional lower level of competency for the Data Management and Informatics domain. Respondents with professional certification in clinical research self-assessed their competency at higher levels in all domains than those without professional certification.
Incorporated Competencies Related to Project Management into JTF Framework
January 21, 2022
Recently published in Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science, the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency (JTF) defined and documented core competencies related to clinical project management and project management skills. Two new specific competencies with related examples were incorporated in Version 3.1 of the JTF Framework and the wording of several existing competencies was modified.
January 14, 2022
Communication and Teamwork in JTF Framework
This article focuses on Domain 8 of the JTF Framework – Communication and Teamwork. The authors have emphasized the importance of communication skills between Clinical Research Professionals and the perception of competence.
January 14, 2022
Duke University integrating the JTF Framework into is clinical research enterprise
Duke University School of Medicine and Nursing has been an innovator in integrating the JTF Framework into its clinical research enterprise. This article discusses the impact of classifying clinical research roles according to the JTF Competency Framework on workforce turnover in an academic medical center. Significant reduction in personnel turnover was noted following the reclassification and reduction in number of defined roles.
International Study of clinical investigator competence by AIDS Malignancy Consortium
October 07, 2021
The AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC) conducted a survey of clinical investigators in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa to determine self-assessed competency, utilizing the JTF Clinical Research Core Competency Framework, to inform training and professional development needs. The results were similar to prior findings by the JTF (Clinical Researcher, 2016:3;42-49) showing lower levels of competency in the domains of Scientific Concepts and Research Design, Medicines Development and Regulation and Data Management and Informatics. The AMC is using the JTF Framework to develop a training curriculum tailored to the needs of their clinical staff.
Virginia Commonwealth University initiates workforce development and Post-baccalaureate certificate programs based upon JTF Core Competency Framework
January 22, 2021
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research Translational Workforce Development Program relies on the JTF Framework for overall workforce development activities, provides the JTF Framework as an ongoing education and training resource to the workforce, aligns Clinical Research Skills Series workshop learning objectives to the core competencies, and designed the Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Research core and elective courses requirements based on the framework competencies. cctr.vcu.edu