Postgraduate Trainee – Clinical Research Fellowship

Position Summary

A Clinical Research Fellowship is available for a medical graduate with an interest in neurology or psychiatry to work under the direction of Dr. Blair Leavitt, based in the department of Medical Genetics and the Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada.

The work will be in the field of Huntington’s disease which is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder. The project is a clinical translational project, and is suitable for those seeking a career in clinical neuroscience. The working environment is collective and multidisciplinary. Enthusiasm, ability to be self-organized, an enquiring mind, vision and good clinical skills will all be necessary. The candidate will need to have good computer skills and be able to pick up mathematical statistical concepts.

The Clinical Research Fellow will be involved in patient retention for the Track-HD project. Assessments will take place with 90 subjects (30 controls, 30 premanifest gene-carriers and 30 subjects with early disease). The Clinical Fellow will obtain informed consent and carry out clinical assessment (medical interview, neurological and oculomotor examination and psychiatric assessment), blood sample collection and processing. The Clinical Research Fellow will be responsible for identifying and acting appropriately on any clinical issues arising in the cohort, in accordance with Good Clinical Practice requirements.

The Clinical Research Fellow will also have the opportunity to become involved in other ongoing research and clinical studies at the HD Medical Clinic and the UBC Neurogenetics Clinic, and will be expected to develop their own specific projects within and outside of Track-HD.

• To assist in patient retention.
• To complete formal Track-HD training and evaluation in assessment of subjects.
• To assess patients and handle biomarker samples in a rigorous and reproducible fashion as outlined above.
• To ensure that the highest quality data is collected.
• To assist with out- patient clinics as detailed above.
• To perform statistical analysis of research data, manuscript preparation and submission.
• To undertake additional research tasks and projects including collaboration with researchers from other centres.
• Maintaining appropriate channels and styles of communication to meet the needs of patients, relatives and caregivers, managers, peers, and other professionals / agencies.
• Maintaining mechanisms to support patient involvement and feedback.
• To act as an independent agent in setting up appointments, dealing with referrals and telephone calls and in the general coordination of arrangements for subjects/caregivers.
• To ensure that the highest standard of record keeping, maintaining accurate and appropriate patient records, including the strict confidentiality of all records.
• To attend departmental and other meetings as appropriate.
• To act at all times in accordance with the highest professional standards, and to ensure that these are maintained in the delivery of all aspects of patient care.
• To ensure that he/she is covered, at all times, by appropriate medical indemnity.
• As duties and responsibilities change, the job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post-holder.
• The post-holder will carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job as requested by the Track-HD Study Principle Investigator.
• The post-holder will actively follow UBC policies including Equal Opportunities policies.
• The post-holder will maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and Health & Safety Regulations.

Qualifications

• Registered medical practitioner in British Columbia, Canada (or eligible)
• MRCPC or equivalent postgraduate qualification in Neurology preferred
• Experience in an accredited Neurology Residency program at R4 or equivalent level
• Be able to demonstrate a record of academic excellence
• Experience of peer-reviewed publication of research
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including excellent oral and written presentation skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Able to work cooperatively in a team environment
• A very high level of consideration and care for patients and research subjects
• Interested in research and a commitment to quality in the research process
• Good clinical skills
• Knowledge of clinical research regulatory requirements, ethics and governance
• Good IT skills (Windows, Word, Access, Excel, Powerpoint)
• Experience in statistical analysis

How to Apply

Applications (1 copy of CV and the names of 3 references) should reference the posting title Clinical Research Fellowship and be forwarded to hr@cmmt.ubc.ca

Please Note:Where applicants are short-listed for formal interview, references will normally be reviewed prior to interview. Applicants who do not wish any referees to be so contacted should make this explicitly clear beside the referree’s names.