Clinical Coordinators carry out versatile activities to ensure that resource supplies, documentations, treatment procedures and follow up activities related to patient care are optimized for providing high quality health service. They closely work with fellow medical staff in clinical program goal setting, progress evaluations, budget planning and ongoing problem solving.
Their key responsibilities include maintaining patient care schedule, managing staff members, participating in various meetings and conferences, obtaining grant funding, assisting in hiring of certain posts, coordinating for continuing education and training for clinical or support staff, and performing other duties as assigned. In addition, they help in pharmaceutical research activities.
Clinical Coordinators work in a variety of environments such as public or private hospitals, community health centers, educational institutions, research centers etc. They often work full time and have to be on-call frequently.
Educational Requirements
To qualify for the position of a Clinical Coordinator, the aspiring candidates have to complete a 4-year bachelor’s degree program in health administration or nursing. The students can go for a master’s degree in public health, nursing or in a related subject for better job prospects in this field.
The common coursework includes anatomy, pharmacology, biology, pathophysiology, health administration, medical ethics etc. Students also learn about record keeping and financial management.
Certification and Licensure
Clinical Coordinators are to be licensed in many states of USA. The aspiring candidates also need to earn exam based certification administered by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) or the Society of Clinical Research Associations (SoCRA).
Skill SetÂ
Besides the knowledge in patient care and health administration, Clinical Coordinators possess varieties of traits such as high level of leadership quality, integrity and accountability in patient care and clinical operation, record keeping and time management skills, decision making and risk management abilities, effective communication and interpersonal skills, ability to maintain warm and cordial relationship with fellow staff members, patients and their family members etc.
Job Outlook and Salary
The job outlook for a Clinical Coordinator remains outstanding across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 23% during 2012-2022. The average annual salary of a Clinical Coordinator was $88,580 per year in May 2012.