At Houston Methodist Willowbrook, the Educational Research Specialist position is responsible for increasing, elevating, promoting and supporting scholarly academic work on this campus. Tis work will include providing advanced individual coaching and group-based workshops on research topics under the direction of department leadership. The Educational Research Specialist position provides training and technical assistance in the execution of a broad and diverse range of educational research studies and quality improvement initiatives. This position will work with various departments within Houston Methodist Willowbrook (HMWB), with a focus on educating trainees and physician faculty, particularly those involved in both Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education about the research process. Educational offerings the Educational Research Specialist position will coordinate include but are not limited to research question development, study structuring and design, statistical analysis up to and including linear regression, manuscript development and review, Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol development, and generating IRB protocol and study feedback and evaluation.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as subject matter expert responsible for research, writing, and editing scholarly products. Plans, directs, and coordinates individualized and group-based training sessions on research topics.

• Mentors and coaches other staff in editing and compiling appendices of documents related to technical reports (IRB protocols)

• Builds research capacity by working with departments, agencies, and sponsors to ensure that specific requirements are met with respect to document (protocol) content and formatting.

• Recommends opportunities for improvement of department/program score for employee engagement.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborate with trainees, staff, and faculty to develop research study, implementation plan and evaluation approaches for improving quality of care. Interprets data and advises trainees, staff, and faculty on how to best present scientific findings.

• Works with trainees, staff, and faculty to develop, present, and bring to final submission high quality, large, interprofessional, and multi-collaborative IRB protocols and publications.

• Prepares reports of individualized and group-based training with trainees, staff and faculty surrounding research and scholarly productivity.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Contributes scientific knowledge and analytical skills to the preparation of manuscripts, presentations, and protocols.

• Prepares technical documents (IRB protocols) that adhere to regulatory, financial, policy, and legal requirements, and streamlines the IRB process for staff research projects by making sure that all protocols meet patient safety standards and will quickly pass through the IRB process.

• Assures compliance with Houston Methodist policies, rules, and regulations to meet government, publisher, and sponsor standards and research development best practices.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Conducts sample size calculations to inform grant application budgets, and other financial documents in compliance with Houston Methodist policies and procedures.

• Contributes to quality improvement and success of grant applications through coaching about research designs and implementation strategies
• Oversees process for conference presentation funding and attendance withing annual Medical Education budget for HMWB.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Finds and implements innovations in scientific writing, and research development to continuously improve best practices.

• Fosters a positive and constructive teaching environment by engaging others in learning opportunities that could spark new ideas for improving quality of care.

• Seeks opportunities to expand capacity surrounding research and scholarly productivity. Completes and updates the My Development plan on an on-going basis. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• PhD

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Experience in designing and implementing IRB protocols and research studies

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• CITI Collaborative Institution Training Initiative (CITI)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Strong theoretical and practical familiarity in data collection, analysis and reporting of quantitative and qualitative data

• Record of research experience, written publications, and presentations

• Possess research and interpersonal skills to work with basic research scientists and trainees, including residents and fellows, as well as clinicians to provide a wide array of research support

• Strong research and data analysis skills, including knowledge and experience using statistical analysis software (e.g., STATA, SPSS, SAS, NVIVO, ATLAS.TI), databases, and MS Excel

• Ability to write in a clear, concise, and accurate language that can be understood by technical and non-technical audiences

• Ability to understand complex scientific information, theories, and practices

• Ability to use qualitative and quantitative data analysis and collection software

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Houston Methodist Academic Institute (formerly the Houston Methodist Research Institute) was formed in 2004 to rapidly and efficiently translate discoveries made in the laboratory and the clinic into new diagnostics, therapies, and treatments. The research institute was created to provide the infrastructure and support for these endeavors, and to house the technology and resources needed to make innovative breakthroughs in important areas of human disease. A 540,000 square foot building dedicated to research and clinical trials, the academic institute houses over 2,047 credentialed researchers conducting 1,470 ongoing clinical protocols.