LOOKING FOR IMMEDIATE START DATES AND FOR JUNE/JULY 2021 START DATES. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
The Medical Practice Evaluation Center (MPEC) is seeking Research Assistants (Clinical Research Coordinators) to work with an internationally recognized multidisciplinary team from Massachusetts General Hospital dedicated to improving clinical outcomes, increasing value in health policy, and informing global public health through innovative research, collaboration, and education.
Research Assistants will work with investigators in the Simulation Modeling and Economics Program to conduct clinical and cost-effectiveness analyses on key aspects of HIV disease management (as well as other chronic and infectious disease treatment and prevention) and/or with investigators in the Outcomes and Implementation Science Program to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions to improve engagement in medical care in the United States and international settings.
Example Simulation Modeling and Economics Program projects include:
• Examining the impact of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for populations at high risk of acquiring HIV in India
• Assessing cost-effectiveness of tuberculosis diagnostics in South Africa
• Determining optimal uptake of strategies for prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) in Zimbabwe
• Studying the impact of pre-travel vaccination for international travelers
• Use the new SimCoV model to estimate the clinical and economic impact of COVID-19 testing, treatment, and containment strategies in different settings, including Massachusetts, Boston homeless shelters, and international resource-limited settings.
Example Outcomes and Implementation Science Program projects include:
• Evaluating the clinical impact of a policy change to allow stable HIV patients to pick up medications at community venues in South Africa
• Measuring the effects of HIV on aging and on coronary artery disease in rural Uganda
• Investigating the role of maternal HIV infection and co-infection with early childhood infections
• Studying low-barrier service delivery mechanisms for STI screening and prevention out of the MGH Sexual Health Clinic and in partnership with community organizations in the Boston area
• A pilot project to offer HIV prevention and family planning to young women in community venues in South Africa
Research Assistants in our group frequently go on to pursue careers in medicine, public health, epidemiology, global health, and health policy research.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESONSIBILITIES:
Responsibilities for all MPEC Research Assistants may include, but are not limited to, the following activities:
• Participate in all phases of research projects, from conception and design of studies through analysis and writing manuscripts for submission to academic journals
• Perform systematic literature reviews and synthesize relevant data
• Assist in writing abstracts for submission to research conferences
• Design posters for presentation at research conferences
• Present study results to project teams and external stakeholders
• Collaborate with Compliance Specialist to prepare Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications and related documents regarding the protection of human subjects
• Monitor study activities for compliance with all applicable regulations and facilitate regulatory trainings for study personnel as needed
• Help prepare grant progress reports and applications and related documents
• Assist in preparation of slides for lectures and seminars
• Organize group meetings, including setting up conference calls and taking minutes
• Provide general administrative support as needed
Additional project-specific responsibilities will vary depending on experience and skill, but may include the following:
• Participate in model development, refinement, and debugging
• Contribute to the documentation of model inputs and update model user manuals
• Generate data queries and participate in data cleaning efforts
• Analyze quantitative data, including cohort studies, clinical trials, and implementation science studies
• Code qualitative data from in-depth interviews and focus groups
• Partner with international collaborators and study staff on oversight of studies, standard operating procedure development and review, and data quality assurance
