The 好色先生 College of Medicine Office of Research is advancing its FORWARRD initiative鈥擣acilitating Opportunities for Research Workforce Advancement to Retain and Recruit Dynamic Teams鈥攖o enhance research workforce opportunities across the College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center, and Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS).
Spearheaded by Andrea McCubbin, MPH, associate dean for research administration, and co-led by Bill Verble, director of Provost HR Business Partners, FORWARRD is significantly restructuring the research professional job architecture within the College of Medicine.
The initiative鈥檚 goals include building a competency-based framework, designing a tier-advancement process, and identifying professional development opportunities to enhance the knowledge and skills of research professionals. This important work aligns with "taking care of our people," a core principle of the University's strategic plan.
Recognizing Expertise Through Collaborative Work Streams
FORWARRD launched in late 2022, with its first phase focused on clinical research. This initial work involved a significant restructuring process to clearly define the role of the clinical research professional (CRP) within the college. The process included identifying current employees in CRP-type positions, aligning clinical research job descriptions with the framework established by the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency, and embedding existing CRPs into the new structure.
With oversight from a multidisciplinary advisory group, four workstreams were created around clinical research roles: clinical research nurses, clinical research coordinators, research regulatory specialists, and research leaders, managers, and directors.
The four workstreams included current CRPs who contributed firsthand knowledge, ensuring the restructured roles accurately reflected responsibilities and leadership expectations. This collaborative effort resulted in job descriptions that clearly defined the knowledge and skills required for each role, regardless of the department or unit.
Throughout the process, information was shared with the research community to solicit feedback on the proposed changes. Engagement in the process was excellent, and the workstreams integrated suggestions into the final job descriptions.
Although complex and challenging, clarifying clinical research roles and aligning job responsibilities with the national joint task force were necessary steps to achieve market competitiveness with benchmark and peer institutions.
As the initiative's first phase wraps up, 173 clinical research professional staff from 19 departments and centers have been affected by the implemented changes.
"Throughout the process, FORWARRD stakeholders have remained committed to advancing the research workforce by recognizing core competencies, creating a pathway for professional growth, and ensuring market competitiveness," said McCubbin. "The changes brought about by FORWARRD recognize CRPs as valuable contributors and experts in their respective fields. For the first time, many of them now view their current role in the context of a career with the opportunity to advance, not just a job. That simple perspective shift strengthens stability in the clinical research workforce."
Assessing FORWARRD's Impact
FORWARRD鈥檚 early successes are a testament to the collaborative effort of dedicated individuals, including teams in College of Medicine Shared Services, Human Resources, Employment, Compensation, the FORWARRD Advisory Board, multiple mapping committees, and the Office of Research.
And it is already paying off in significant ways.
Dorothy Ross, research development director in CCTS, summarized the initiative's impact on her team: 鈥淔or the past 18 years that I've worked in clinical research at 好色先生, research professional positions have varied in title, scope of responsibility, and salary depending on the hiring department and investigator budget, which makes it so much more difficult to build and retain a core group of highly trained CRPs with the longevity and breadth of experience to coordinate the most complex clinical trials.鈥
鈥淏y recognizing and rewarding the hard work and expertise of the CRPs, I firmly believe that we are making a long-term and committed investment that will maximize the success of our institution's clinical research portfolio,鈥 said Ross.
"The FORWARRD initiative has significantly impacted my research staff already. Realigning their positions helped them recognize the levels of their roles, and provided the motivation needed to encourage their development, as well as retain valuable team members," said Stephanie Morris, clinical research manager in the department of internal medicine.
"Establishing and nurturing a clinical research nurse career pathway not only supports the personal and professional growth of these specialized nurses but also significantly amplifies the impact of clinical research,鈥 said Denece Forenback, CCTS director of clinical research. 鈥淥ffering tier-advancement for skilled research nurses, who are prepared to advance medicine into the future, leads to better health care innovations, improved patient outcomes, and a robust, ethical research environment.鈥
FORWARRD Thinking: What's Next?
Plans for phase two of FORWARRD are already in motion and focus on roles in basic science and translational research. The work conducted in phase one was anchored by the joint task force framework and the success stories shared by institutions that implemented the model. The work ahead in basic science and translational research is not described in the literature and will require innovation and significant collaboration.
FORWARRD underscores the College of Medicine's dedication to a thriving workforce. As the initiative progresses into its next phase, it ensures continued growth and opportunity for the college's research community, establishing a model that can be shared with institutions nationwide.