ABOUT THE INDUSTRY PARTNER

The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) is a powerful alliance of 10 leading research, academic and clinical institutions working together to accelerate and amplify leading-edge cancer research, knowledge and expertise to benefit the Victorian community.

The multi-site, multi-disciplinary joint venture partnership has a shared goal of improving outcomes for Victorian cancer patients. The VCCC alliance partners are Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne Health (including The Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, The Royal Women’s Hospital, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Western Health, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (including St Vincent’s Institute), Austin Health (including the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and Austin Lifesciences) and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

An opportunity to build your skills and knowledge and expand your career into clinical trials.

Participate in a tailored competency framework for the Study Coordinator role with a quantitative assessment grading system based on relevant international competencies.

Through on the job training develop core clinical trial knowledge, skills and experience in:

  • Essentials of clinical trial regulation and management
  • Good clinical practice
  • Safe shipping and handling
  • Ethics, budgets and contracts
  • Study coordinator, role-specific training
  • Patient communication skills
  • Clinical trial databases

RESEARCH TO BE CONDUCTED

As well as developing core clinical trial knowledge and skills, participants will undertake a process improvement project within a Victorian clinical trial unit. In consultation with the unit, the student will monitor a clinical trial process and identify areas for improvement. During the second half of the internship, students will work with their host site to implement a ‘process improvement’ activity.

Clinical trial sites continually evaluate their processes to ensure compliance with ethical, safety and regulatory requirements. It’s hoped that PhD researchers will be able to assist units by observing processes within their unit (e.g. the informed consent process, data collection and documentation, handling biological samples, regulation compliance) and identifying opportunities for improvement.

One of the goals of the VCCC is to contribute to the development of a highly trained clinical trial workforce. This program also aims to provide training and work experience, so that candidates have the knowledge and skills to take on study coordinator roles in the future.

Clinical trial units within VCCC alliance members run numerous clinical trials concurrently which will give students the opportunity to learn about the different stages and types of clinical trials. Students will have access to and be mentored by clinical trial experts.

SKILLS WISH LIST

If you’re a PhD student and meet some or all of the criteria we want to hear from you. We strongly encourage women, indigenous and disadvantaged candidates to apply.

Key criteria:

  • An interest in cancer-related clinical trials
  • In the process of thesis submission
  • Excellent communication skills

RESEARCH OUTCOMES

Participants will be required to complete a final report and presentation outlining:

  • the clinical trial process they have investigated
  • the opportunities identified for process improvements
  • their recommendations for process improvement

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The intern will receive $3,000 per month of the APR internship component, usually in the form of scholarship payments.

It is expected that the intern will primarily undertake this research project during regular business hours and maintain contact with their academic mentor throughout the internship either through face-to-face or phone meetings as appropriate.

The intern and their academic mentor will have the opportunity to discuss the project’s scope, milestones and timeline during the project planning stage.

PLEASE NOTE

  • This internship is able to cover project costs for domestic students only.
  • This project is only available to Victorian students or students willing to consider relocating.
  • This project will commence in early 2021 (Feb). To be eligible you must be coming up to submission of thesis or have submitted by the start date.
  • VCCC have implemented appropriate preparations to comply with Federal and State Government requirements regarding COVID-19 safety.

To Apply: https://aprintern.org.au/internship/the-victorian-comprehensive-cancer-centre-apr-1492/