Top Skills For A Senior Clinical Trial Coordinator At UCLA Health
A Senior Clinical Trial Coordinator at UCLA Health emphasizes the crucial role of "interpersonal communication, empathy, compassion, and patience" in navigating the emotional complexities of working with seriously ill cancer patients, while also highlighting the need for strong organizational and multitasking skills, proficiency in written and verbal communication, and the ability to "compartmentalize emotions" to maintain focus and effectively manage the administrative demands of the job.
Communication, Organization, Multitasking, Empathy, Resilience
Advizer Information
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Job Title
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Undergrad
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Cindy Tong
Sr. Clinical Trial Coordinator
UCLA Health, Hematology/Oncology
UCLA, 2017
UCLA FEMBA 2026
Biology & Related Sciences
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Research and Development (R&D)
Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Strong communication skills (written and verbal) are crucial for interacting with patients, physicians, and pharmaceutical companies. Clear and concise communication is essential for conveying information effectively and maintaining accurate records.
2. Exceptional organizational and multitasking abilities are vital for managing multiple tasks, deadlines, and communications from various sources. Prioritization skills are key to success.
3. Empathy, compassion, and patience are paramount when working with patients facing serious illnesses. Emotional intelligence and self-care are important for managing the emotional demands of the job and maintaining professional well-being
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
Since this physician is very patient-facing, interpersonal communication, empathy, compassion, and patience for your patients are the number one priority. These patients are very sick and depending on us, on this hospital, and on the entire team to make sure they have what they need.
We absolutely do not want to abuse their trust in us. So, in terms of soft skills, learning to compartmentalize emotions is definitely key. The nature of cancer is very difficult, especially with patients who are stage four or towards the end of life.
You just have to know that you are doing good and doing what you can for them, while also taking care of yourself. When you're at work, compartmentalize any grief, sadness, or anger to keep your eyes on the goal. It's not about erasing these intense human emotions, but about knowing to keep your eye on the goal and stay present as much as possible.
In terms of hard skills, they are more relevant for the admin portion of clinical trial management. Being very organized and able to multitask is crucial, as you'll have three different clients communicating with you at all times. Learn how to navigate all of that, be aware of your deadlines, and prioritize tasks.
Having a strong sense of urgency and knowing how to label tasks is important. Not everything can be done right away. Basic Word and Excel skills are also necessary, as much of the work is quite basic and doesn't require super typical coding or presentation skills.
The information you digest needs to be easily understood by patients, physicians, or pharmaceutical companies, presented clearly, perhaps in a table. This goes hand in hand with both verbal and writing skills. You do have to write well.
Anything in an email is proof, so be very careful what you write and how you come across. This position doesn't require technical skills like an engineer; math and advanced coding are not involved.
Overall, communication skills, organization skills, and multitasking are essential. You also have to be a people person. This is not a job where you can just sit at your desk without interaction. It's an individual contribution, but everyone on your team contributes together. Having a good sense of the goals at hand and emotionally preparing yourself for that is also a very important skill.