Clinical Research

Clinical research is integral to the UC Department of Emergency Medicine. Many faculty, residents, fellows and medical students participate in a wide array of research projects.

The Research Division’s central mission is to facilitate the advancement of knowledge in emergency medicine. We do this by integrating our state-of-the-art research infrastructure with the unique and demanding environment of the emergency department.

The Research Division is home to a team of research professionals that facilitate all aspects of research implementation, from data management to trial coordination.The clinical research coordinators are stratified between our participant recruitment core and our senior coordinator core. The participant recruitment core staffs the ED 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our senior clinical research professionals have skills in patient recruitment, study team management, budgets, regulatory, project management, and data management and analysis. The range of experience is extensive and ranges from therapeutic studies requiring emergent intervention to chart reviews

Our commitment to excellence in research enhances our reputation as one of the premier academic Emergency Departments in the United States.

The abundance of our input to national and international conferences and research forums, and the plethora of publications authored by our faculty, fellows, and residents, attest to our commitment to research and to our wealth of experience.

Above all, we are passionate about our research and proud of our achievements; through our research we can improve patient care.

Research Areas

Studies range from chart reviews to multi-center, therapeutic clinical trials. Some studies involve only a few patients, others enroll thousands. Clinical and basic science research is conducted across the entire spectrum of patients presenting to the emergency department, from ankle sprain to multiple trauma, from flu to pneumonia, and from headache to stroke.

New therapeutic options, new diagnostic modalities, biomarkers of disease and injury, risk assessment, and patient education are commonly investigated. Resident education, physician well-being and health care practice are also targets for research projects.

Research in emergency medicine often overlaps with other specialties and we enjoy strong collaborations with our hospital-based colleagues in neurology, cardiology, trauma, and surgery, as well as with outpatient services and health policy and systems specialists.

Every member of the department is actively supported and encouraged in their research endeavors by their peers and mentors, and by the Research Division.