Clinical Trials Marketing

University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Care Center

Mentors

Sumati Murli, PhD, Director for Clinical Operations, University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Kathy Goss, PhD, Senior Science Writer, University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center

Background

University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) is one of 45 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, and one of two in the state of Illinois. The central mission of the UCCCC is to stimulate and support collaborative, interdisciplinary cancer research, including cutting-edge basic, translational, clinical and population-based research. The UCCCC serves more than 200 cancer-focused faculty at the University of Chicago, and the administrative team supports the following activities: pre- and post-awards grants management and financial services, human resources, the philanthropic University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation, information technology, cancer education, communications and regulatory management of cancer clinical trials.

Internship Description

The UCCCC myCHOICE internship represents a partnership between the UCCCC communications team and its Cancer Clinical Trials Office. Specifically, the intern will support the UCCCC’s efforts to better promote cancer clinical trials offered at the University of Chicago in order to improve our ability to accrue to them. This individual will focus on developing strategies to use social media to educate patients, referring physicians and the lay audience about clinical trials.

Specific Objectives

• The intern will be exposed the adult cancer clinical trial portfolio at the University of Chicago and learn about the role of referring physicians and patients in the clinical trial process.

• The intern will learn about the regulatory climate surrounding clinical trial recruitment and promotion.

• The intern will evaluate clinical trial marketing practices at peer institutions, including comprehensive cancer centers, locally and across the nation. This will largely focus on their strategies to inform and accrue into clinical trials, especially the web and social media.

• The intern will develop proposed strategies to improve accrual to clinical trials using the web and social media, as well as develop metrics to measure and optimize these strategies.

Qualifications

Candidates must have strong verbal and written communication and research skills, be able to work independently, have some experience with social media (particularly Facebook and Twitter), and be willing to learn new skills. Familiarity with clinical trials is desired by not required.

Your application must include a current CV and cover letter describing your interest in the internship and why this experience is relevant to your career goals.