Staff Selection and Training

Abstract

The PI of any project must have some assistance available for conducting drug research. Numerous regulatory and administrative tasks, as well as telephone contacts and completing CRFs, must be delegated to free the PI to concentrate on the medical aspects of the study. As was discussed in the previous chapter, each new protocol must be analyzed along the lines of budget planning to identify just what duties can be delegated. Table 7 contains a listing of common tasks that arise in protocols. A PI should attempt to determine exactly what skills are needed for a particular study and the percentage of staff time required to carry them out. Once the research-related tasks have been identified, the PI can decide whether they can be carried out by existing personnel or will require the recruitment of new employees. The PI must also decide whether he is prepared for extensive training of new personnel or wishes to hire highly skilled employees with some research experience. Inexperienced PIs are advised to employ those with specific drugtesting experience.