Under tightly controlled research protocols, RAs enroll large numbers of patients and visitors in clinical studies

RAs serve a minimum of one 4-hour shift per week in the ED for an academic semester.

• During the fall and spring semesters, RAs are limited to one shift per week
• During the summer extra shifts are encouraged
• Shifts can be chosen from 8 a.m. to midnight throughout all 7 days of the week.
  

Note: shifts are determined on a first come, first serve basis; RAs who submit their applications first and pay will get to choose their shifts first.

During a training session at the beginning of each semester, RAs are trained in:

• Ethical issues, especially confidentiality and informed consent
• Safety information, like that received by all hospital employees and volunteers
• Didactic sessions to become experts about the clinical studies
• Practice on how to enroll subjects in the research

Following this initial training, RA Program personnel supervise first study enrollments to be sure each RA can perform their work correctly.

On each shift, Emergency Department clinicians grade the RAs on their performance.

At the mid- and end of the semester, RAs are directly observed enrolling study participants and receive a structured assessment of their clinical performance.

From these assessments and other functional parameters, the Program Director writes a formal letter of evaluation about each RA's work to their health professions adviser.

• In a global sense, RAs help conduct research that advances medical knowledge and promotes better delivery of health care.
• Very practically, RAs see medical care in its most basic elements: the undiagnosed, acutely sick or injured patient.
• This is an evaluated clinical experience for the RA's discernment, qualification and personal development as a health care professional
• Most importantly, being a RA welcomes you into the sorority and fraternity of those in service to the sick, the motivation behind those working in the emergency department.