Episode 11: Lucia Rodriguez and Bianca Garcia, Absolute Clinical Research
Lucia Rodriguez and Bianca Garcia have worked in clinical research for well over 20 years combined. They’ve held just about every site-level title and worked across all phases, multiple therapeutic areas, and numerous. Basically - these ladies know their stuff. Recently they have teamed up to star their own company - Absolute Clinical Research. Absolute Clinical Research offers an individualized, customer-focused approach to clinical research management while maintaining patient safety and protection, protocol adherence, quality of data as top priorities.
In this episode we discuss the importance of constant communication, starting your own company while working full time, investing in your staff, and why you should always be prepared.
+ Full Episode Transcript
Intro: Hello, and welcome to Episode 11 of the Note to file Podcast collection of interviews, best practices and candid commentary for clinical research sites. Our guests today are Bianca Garcia and Lucia Rodriguez together. They have well over 20 years of clinical research experience really spans the whole spectrum. Definitely go check them out on LinkedIn. Uh, get a little bit more of their backgrounds together. They're the founders of absolute clinical research, a clinical research management company that offers individualized customer-focused approach today on the show we discuss starting a new company while working full time, the importance of constant communication, uh, investing in your staff and why you should always be prepared without further ado. Bianca Garcia and Lucia Rodriguez. All right, Welcome Bianca and Lucia. It's a beautiful Friday. How are you guys doing?
Bianca: We're good. We're actually very hot cause we're in Arizona, but life is good.
Brad: Yeah. So it's about a hundred degrees here in Oklahoma, but I know I've been to Arizona and it's a completely different, it's a different heat to it's different ballgame.
Bianca: Well, it might be 108 degrees right now. It's very hot, burning hot.
Brad: Yeah, you got it. You got us beat. Well, very cool. Thank you guys so much for coming on. I-I'll just going to jump right in, you know, I very much, uh, I like to start out just kind of asking people about how they got into clinical research and uh, you know, tell us a little bit about what got you in and kind of where you are today.
Bianca: Sure. So, um, I actually just like most other, um, research professionals. I fell into research, uh, when I was in nursing school actually, um, I was an MA doing back office work. The physician I worked for did some research, but it, I didn't really help or participate. So I didn't really know what it was. Um, but in nursing school I needed, I-I needed a job. I had left that, that MA job to, uh, go to school, but I needed some sort of income and there was this phase one unit hiring, um, just a research assistant to help nights and weekends, which was perfect since I was going to school. And ever since then, I haven't looked back and I've been in, in research since. So I finished nursing school and became a research nurse and 11 years later here I am.
Brad: Very nice. So you, uh, you took to it pretty quickly.
Bianca: Yeah. Yep.
Lucia: Yeah. I have a similar story. I actually decided I saw a job posted and I was in my gap year before what I thought was going to be the gap year before medical school. And I applied for it, started doing it and just realized that that was combining a lot of the things that I enjoyed about, um, undergrad. So I did a lot of lab research, but I still wanted that working with people components. So that combined all of that for me and what, what I started doing just to gain some experience with patient interaction turned into my career.
Brad: Sure. Yeah. And you know, I think that is the beauty of what we do in clinical research is you do get there. There's a lot of different ways to be fulfilled by, you know, being in clinical research. You can be kind of more on the data science side. You get to have those develop interpersonal relationships with, you know, sponsors, patients, the doctors, everybody. So it's a, just a very well rounded field I find. And I think that's what keeps people like us so engaged in the industry. So it seems like, uh, from what I understand, you guys are starting your own thing. Tell me a little bit about Absolute Clinical Research.
Bianca: So, um, Lucia and I worked together at a large neurological institution here in Phoenix, um, about five years ago. And, uh, when we worked together, there was always something going on and we, we always thought, you know, we had our own research organization. We would do this better that better and we kept, you know, um, adding on to this dream of ours. And, uh, recently with the whole COVID situation, we just decided to go forward. And we launched in April, we started Absolute Clinical Research. We still do have our full time jobs and, you know, different organizations now, uh, while we developed Absolute.
Lucia: So like Bianca explained, we did, this is not something that was just born now for the past five years. A lot of our conversations, even when we are just meeting for happy hour, have revolved around what this company would look like and what we would build it on. And I think, um, that's how we actually bonded at work. It was over the fact that we did have a shared vision of how we would, um, make sure that our company touched on those underrepresented populations that we did, what we could within our company to, to make sure that that was taken care of, but not only that, but, um, how we could use our own experiences to help build other researchers or professionals that are trying to get into clinical research. Because a lot of times that is, that is a struggle, you know, trying to get kind of having every component that you need to get into the field. Um, but not being able to, to get in because of the lack of experience. So we've, we we're, we're just starting out, but we're trying to, to build off of those things that we thought would make our company a great company.
Brad: Yeah, I know. There's, there's, I mean, there can be a lot of barriers into getting in. I mean, it's one of those things where it doesn't, there's an have to be, but it's, it's such a niche field that it's a, unless you've spent. And I guess it looks like both of you guys have been doing this for, you know, 10, 10 plus years until you really get in there and know it inside and out. It's extremely difficult because there aren't a lot of great resources out there for people who, who do want to break off and do things on their own. And you know, not that not that everyone should necessarily either, but it's just a, you know, sort of a field of landmines out there if you don't really know what you're getting into. Uh, so, you know, I applaud you for that. I think it takes a lot of, uh, a lot of bravery to get out there and just strike out on your own. I mean, I did the same thing two years ago. Uh, I was kinda in the same boat. Uh, I had a full time job and started it on the side. So I'm kinda curious to hear about, uh, the challenges for you guys managing that while, while you have full time jobs, has that been particularly difficult?
Bianca: This is why I think it was a good time to go ahead and launch during this COVID situation. So in my current position, um, we were fortunate enough to be all of us. We kept our jobs, but we had to minimize in clinic how many nurses could be in there. So, um, there was only, there's only one nurse in the clinic at a time to cover, um, the research. So the other nurses we get to work from home. So that's what really opened a little bit of my time to be able to, you know, to get start planning and really start launching and putting things together. So that's, that's been very helpful, uh, having that extra time, but it is very difficult. We've learned very quickly that we need to keep on track with things, get organized. We're looking, always looking for new ways to be able to do that and manage our time. Well, um, that's the biggest component. It's just, I realized that before I'm wasting a lot of time right now. I don't have time to waste, um, trying to manage a full time job, starting a business, um, being a mom, being a wife, you know, all of those things. So it is difficult, but we've been able to figure out ways to manage. And of course our support system at home always helps.
Lucia: I think it helps that we both have very similar work ethics. Um, even before we started this, we were always looking for opportunities to what it's going to help us down the line when we actually decide to launch the company. Um, so what resources, what, what classes can we take? What seminars can we go to? So we are kind of used to that having, um, a full time job and always doing something outside of work as well, but it definitely has been challenging managing a full time job and I'm in a different city than Bianca is. So I think that's where the communication plays in, where if one of us has a busy day and there's something that needs to be done, the other one can takeover. So that, that common ground that definitely helps us run it while working full time.
Bianca: I completely agree with Lucia. I don't think it would be possible to accomplish as much as we have in this short period of it wasn't that we didn't have each other. It's been so helpful to be able to have that one person that knows exactly how I would like things and pick up wherever I need to, you know, leave off.
Brad: Sure. Yeah, no, there's a, there's a lot of strength in having a partner to be able to rely on, so that'll help you help you guys go further. So that's awesome. Yeah. And again, communication being a really can't overstate, how important it is to be in constant communication, just to be on the same page. Cause all kinds of ways things can go sideways or things can fall between the cracks, especially when you're dealing with, you know, maybe you're dealing with new physicians and new sponsors, uh, you know, it's so important to be able to stay on top of those things. So very cool. So what are some, uh, sort of best practices you guys have picked up throughout the years that, uh, you would share with the research community?
Lucia: I think for me the biggest one would be, um, making sure that every person who comes into your staff has a very strong foundation I've seen in the past 10 years working just in clinical research. But, um, just seeing how, when you talk to coordinators about why they're leaving a job or the least favorite part of whatever position they took, a lot of it has to say, has to be, I was just thrown into it. Um, so I would say, um, and this is something that we definitely want to do as we start hiring for our company is making sure that we are investing that time in having everyone know that the foundation, because that's going to save a lot of time down the road on corrections, on retraining. So for me that would be something that I would really like to focus on is something that I've been able to do. I'm a little bit in my current position and previous positions just take over onboarding and training of coordinators and something that I do on the side I'm teaching as well.
Brad: I would say that's a, that's again, a good point. That's something I've always struggled with, uh, when per training new coordinators, I mean, it's a it's can be a long arduous process to really get a coordinator well-trained and it sometimes takes, you know, even 10 years in, I- I'm seeing things that I've never dealt with before. Uh, so I find that that's always a challenge, uh, to find people who are, you know, have that base level of, of understanding, or, you know, for me, I'm more of a soft skill guy. I liked the people that, who, if you can be resourceful, uh, and dynamic, then, you know, a lot of the technical aspect can be trained. But I think that this industry lacks a, I could be wrong, but in my opinion, I think it lacks a consistent training, uh, structure, uh, or pathway rather for, for clinical research coordinators. So I think that's a really fair point in sort of making sure that something that you invest in on the front end, because it pays off not just in the quality of the work, but the value of your company, you know, as you go forward.
Lucia: And I think it also helps to reduce staff turnover. I think, as I've talked to other researchers in the field, um, we do all agree that we do have a high turnover rate, especially at the coordinator level, um, which at the end of the day, it is the coordinators who are representing not only the site, but the sponsor, the CRO's. Um, so I think investing more time into training and that structure that you speak of would help reduce that turnover rate.
Brad: Yeah, for sure. And I'm sorry, who, which one of you, I cut off. Did I, if you want to jump in.
Lucia: Okay. So I wanted to add onto that as well. Um, I've found that it's very important, whatever position you are, even beyond research, but as a re- as a research assistant, a clinical research coordinator management, just always be ready, always have your tools ready to go. Um, you know, just not having your pen in your pocket, your Sharpie, your sticky. There's so many times that I've, I'm walking down the hall and a doctor sees my face and they'd suddenly remember they had a patient to refer to a clinical trial and they're trying, you know, they're shooting off a name, medical record number, and then you're just standing there not ready to write that stuff down. So I would just always be ready, always. Um, I have this little story from when I entered, um, uh, the medical field. I had a, um, I was a medical assistant. I was doing my externship and the doctor, I went, uh, to help him. And he gave me some information to write down and I didn't have a pen and he couldn't believe that I didn't have a pen in my pocket. Um, he said, "how could you not have a pen in your pockets? Like, you know, a construction person, not having their tools, it's your tools. You always need tools." So, um, ever since then, I will always remember, you will see me walking around with, you know, at least three pens in my pocket and a Sharpie and a highlighter. And it'll something like something on quickly, we're a tool, you know, people see you and they suddenly remember research. And if you're not making your face present, they forget a little bit about research. They forget that you're there and that you're needing patients. Um, so I always keep that in mind.
Brad: Yeah, no, that's a perfect point that I was going to tack on there that, I mean, I have had the same experiences that, you know, unless you're top of mind, a lot of times you're not going to get that. You may not get that extra for also on top of having your tools, you know, make sure you're getting your FaceTime, even if it's a, it can be as simple as making sure you get a walk by, you know, in front of your PIs or SUB-I's, uh, just so they see you and it's it sparks that, Oh yeah, by the way, you know, we've got this many patients or I have this patient to refer to you. So that's, that's a great sort of a, I think unconventional tip. And again, something I noticed pretty early on in my career too, that, you know, make sure you're present, be present as much as you possibly can,
Lucia: Or sometimes they see you and they're like, Oh yes, I know I owe you three signatures. I'm going to get right on that.
Brad: Yeah. That never happens for me. Then I'm the one hounding them for signatures. So you get that. If you get that, then, then, then you're, you're doing a great job. You're, you're lucky there. So what are some, you know, tips, tools, uh, resources that you guys use, uh, you know, to help you stay organized? I know you mentioned that, uh, communication is a big thing. Is there any particular, uh, medium or tool that you guys use to communicate?
Bianca: I personally, for the past 10 years have been using Excel a lot. Um, I am known for just being we'll organize or how they say remembering everything. I don't remember everything. I just have it well organized and know how to access it. Um, so I use that a lot and I also have a really good system for organizing bookmarks on my computer because right now I have over 30 websites that I'm frequently accessing. So anytime that I start a new job at a new site or, um, even doing consulting, when I start working on different studies, the first thing that I do is organize all of that, so that I can have easy access, especially if you're working at the, um, as a coordinator at the site level or having patient interactions, there are three, four websites. Are you going to have to access as you do that visit. So I think for the flow of it really, really, really, um, have learned to organize those very well.
Lucia: Um, so one of the websites that I actually frequently probably daily access is the date calculator website. I use that for, anything from, um, figuring out patient visits windows to, um, IP accountability, you know, how many pills were they supposed to take? Uh, you know, from this date to that date, I use that a lot. That's like everywhere I go to an end coordinators that haven't learned about that they, it just changes their lives. That's one of the biggest things. It's like a datecalculator.com. I think it is. I'm not even sure it's saved on my bookmarks time and date. Okay.
Bianca: But same, same idea. That's something that I'm definitely using every everyday and every time I was writing a new coordinator, someone comes on board, I'd tell them, I'm going to show you a little gift.
Brad: Yeah, no, that is, yeah. That's a great tool. I have an app on my phone that does the same thing. Cause, uh, for some reason my fingers are just not reliable when it comes to matching, you know, how many pills they should take with how many days have passed and it makes it that does make it so much easier
Bianca: Or week by week or day by day on my calendar. Not as reliable.
Brad: No, absolutely. Well, very awesome. Again, I want to thank you guys so much for coming on. Tell me where people can find you guys online.
Bianca: Um, we do have a website www.absoluteclinicalresearch.com and we also are building our network on social media. We are on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, and you can just search for us as under absolute clinical research.
Brad: Okay. And I'll make sure we'll get a link to those in the show notes again. I want to thank you guys so much for coming on and until next time, thank you guys so much.
Bianca&Lucia: This was fun. Thank you. It was a pleasure. Have a good day
Outro: As always. Thank you so much for listening to the note to file podcast for full episode transcripts show notes and links to resources mentioned in the episode, please visit note to file podcast.com. If you have any comments, questions, or guest requests, please feel free to reach out to brad@notetofilepodcast.com. And once again, thanks for listening.