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Supporting frontline staff in frontotemporal degeneration research
Shana G Dodge1, Danelle J Carter2, Dahlia Kamel3
1The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, King of Prussia, PA, United States.
Introduction:
Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) serve as the frontline staff for research participants in studies on frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), directly influencing participant experience. The training adequacy, job satisfaction, and retention of FTD CRCs have not been systematically examined.
Methods:
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) administered an anonymous cross-sectional online survey to CRCs affiliated with research networks across the USA and Canada.
Results:
Thirty-seven CRCs responded. Most had more than 3 years of experience, yet 62% reported encountering situations for which they felt inadequately prepared. Information on genetics, symptom management, and brain donation were identified as critical training gaps. Retention was linked to competitive pay and clear career advancement opportunities.
Discussion:
The findings highlight a critical need for formalized, disease-specific onboarding and emotional support systems tailored to CRCs that engage with FTD patients and families. AFTD is developing a modular training curriculum to standardize CRC competency.
