Beyond patient care: what’s to gain from participating in research

Ask a clinician what they would change about medicine and most will have an answer. Clinical research is one of the few places where that answer can become evidence.

For clinicians already stretched by patient care and administration, the practical question is what involvement offers in return. The answer goes further than many expect.

Early insight into emerging treatments

New therapies, from targeted treatments to advanced biologics, are tested in clinical trials long before they reach routine practice. Clinicians involved see first-hand how these treatments work, who they suit and what the data shows. Some therapies approved overseas are not yet funded under the PBS, and trials can be where local clinicians first see them in practice. 

A wider professional network 

Studies bring clinicians together with sponsors, investigators and multidisciplinary teams well beyond their usual referral circle. 

Pathways into leadership 

Research roles scale from sub-investigator through to principal investigator, building skills in study oversight and mentoring that carry back into clinical leadership. 

Influence beyond your own patients 

Locally, clinical trials enable your patients to receive a novel therapy that could potentially change their health outcomes. While globally, the evidence generated from these trials informs future standards of care, extending a clinician's impact to patients they will never meet. 

Dr Lara Hatchuel, Medical Director at Linear, said: “Clinicians often tell us they'd like to be involved in research but assume they need prior experience. They don't. 

“Our teams manage the operational detail of a study, so clinicians can focus on what they do best: applying their clinical expertise and judgement.” 

Involvement doesn't have to mean a large commitment from day one either. It can start with a patient referral or an advisory conversation and grow from there, as interest and capacity allow. 

For more than 15 years, Linear Clinical Research has worked with global sponsors, local investigators and study participants to bring clinical trials to WA. 

Through its Early Phase Unit and Advanced Clinical Trial Centre, Linear supports clinicians at every stage of their research journey, including those with no previous research experience. 

For clinicians wondering what is in it for them, the answer is a broader view of medicine and a hand in shaping it. The first step can be as simple as a conversation.

This content is part of a paid partnership with Linear Clinical Research.

To learn more about opportunities to collaborate, refer patients or become involved in research, visit www.linear.org.au/clinical-research