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 clinical research projects. Clinical research focus areas include cardiac arrest, prehospital resuscitation, emergency medical services, acute kidney injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, biomarkers, substance abuse treatment and preventative care, epidemiology, and clinical trial design. 

The clinical research team facilitates all aspects of research implementation, from data management to trial coordination. The team includes data analysts and a PhD biostatistician. Our lead clinical research professionals have skills in patient recruitment, study team management, budgets, regulatory, and project management.

Studies range from chart reviews to multi-center, therapeutic clinical trials. Some studies involve only a few patients, others enroll thousands. Clinical research is conducted across the entire spectrum of patients presenting to the ED, from minor injuries to multiple-system 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.

Basic and Translational Research

Basic and translational science efforts focus on development of biomarkers involved in stroke, traumatic brain injury, and cardiac arrest. Our close relationship to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center allows us to partner with their basic laboratory experts to accomplish a lot of this work. 

Retrospective Study (Umbrella IRB)

The UC Department of Emergency Medicine Research Division has an Umbrella Protocol to conduct retrospective ED related research and is approved by the UC IRB. 

Medical Device Research

Through partnerships with the College of Engineering and the UC Office of Innovation, EM researchers have worked to develop devices to combat some of the issues these physicians come across  while providing clinical care such as stroke detection, brain bleed detection, concussion detection, and bag value mask accuracy.

Medical Education Research 

The UC Department of Emergency Medicine has a strong track record of medical education research on diverse topics. Active areas of research include use of virtual reality simulation for training, developing expertise in best evidence procedures education, education methods for improving patient communication, best evidence methods for monitoring, and enhancing healthcare provider well-being. Department educators also have a successful track record for mentoring residents and medical students in their pursuit of medical education scholarship.

Education Research Study (Umbrella IRB)

The UC Department of Emergency Medicine Education Division has an Umbrella Protocol to measure educational outcomes in the clinical training of students and residents in the ED and is approved by the UC IRB.

A comprehensive peer-review process is implemented for sub-studies under these two umbrella protocols to ensure that the data used to answer questions is scientifically rigorous, beneficial, and generalizable to the field of EM and EM education.