Department of Emergency Medicine, Kern Medical Center
Research Assistant Program
The specialty of Emergency Medicine cares for acutely sick and injured patients. Research in
Emergency Medicine addresses many of the most basic issues in clinical medical care. An urban
emergency department provides the "safety net" for those who have nowhere else to go.
Research in this setting can identify fundamental issues of health care delivery and can improve
the quality of emergency care.
The Department of Emergency Medicine at Kern Medical Center (KMC) is recruiting college
students to participate in our research efforts investigating clinical questions in this demanding
setting.
SETTING
The site for the Research Associates Program is the KMC. This 222-bed hospital is a major
teaching affiliate for the UCLA and UCI School of Medicine. The Emergency Department (ED)
cares for more than 50,000 patients per year and is a principle component of the Emergency
Medicine Residency program. The Hospital serves an area of tremendous diversity in both
cultural and socioeconomic background. It is a Level II Trauma Center.
Resident physicians from all the basic specialties of medicine, medical and nursing students and
paramedic trainees also rotate through our Emergency Department. The concept of service to
those most in need underpins the teaching activities in our setting.
RESEARCH
The research program in Emergency Medicine at KMC is very active. Projects have been
accomplished and are ongoing in a broad spectrum of clinical issues in the ED. Some areas of
interest include: 1)Bronchiolitis, 2) Strategic clinical decision making, 3) Cost effective
emergency care, 4) Trauma, 5) Bronchiodilators, 6) Apnea, 7) Abdominal Pain, and 8) Pacifier
use for SIDS prevention, 9) White Coat Study, 10) West Nile Virus Study.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
College students are active participants in our research efforts. These College Research
Assistants (RAs) identify patients who are eligible for our studies, speak with the patients about
the studies, collect data from the patients' history and some physical findings, and generally
facilitate the completion of the research encounters. This type of Research Assistant program,
with involvement in emergency medicine research, is only available at a few centers in the
country.
We are looking for college students, particularly those who may have career goals in the health
care professions, to fill this role as RAs. All starting RAs may participate for course credit at
Bakersfield College or CSUB. You are not required to take units. RAs attend weekly
meetings/lectures. During the weekly lectures RAs will learn the particulars of each project and
will be involved in all aspects of clinical research and you must make at least a 6 month
commitment to be accepted in the Program.
The potential exists for students to become even more involved in our research studies. Faculty
and resident researchers need RAs to participate in all aspects of their clinical research. Skills
such as research methodology, computer data entry and searching the medical literature can be
developed by those RAs who extend themselves.
BENEFITS
In a global sense, as an RA you will be helping to conduct research which advances medical
knowledge and can promote the better delivery of health care. You will witness medical care in
its most basic elements. It is a tremendous way to find out if a career in the health care
professions is for you.
RAs are evaluated at every shift by the Research Director of the Division of Emergency
Medicine, Kern Medical Center or Lead Research Assistant. Those completing their
participation in the program have these evaluations compiled into a letter of reference that
reflects the supervision of their research activities and their performance. If you are motivated,
additional work on specific projects could result in more responsibility including possible
inclusion as an author on publication. The RA Program cooperates with the student’s college
concerning academic credit, as appropriate.
Most importantly, being an RA introduces you to the medical team that provides the acute care
for the sickest patients in Kern County. With this program you will be able to add clinical
exposure, research experience, and volunteer service to your C.V..
Many RA alumni claim that this program is what allowed them to stand out from their peers
while applying to medical school, pharmacy school, dental school, and many other
professional/graduate schools.
For information regarding how to apply or general questions regarding the program:
Lead Research Assistant:
Jacquelyn Heffner
Jacquelyn_KMC@yahoo.com