Pipeline Partners: Developing Training and Recruitment Programs for the Oncology Workforce

With the ongoing workforce challenges plaguing the health care industry, health systems are developing new and innovative strategies to bolster their pipeline of health care employees to meet growing patient needs.In oncology, the challenge of attracting, recruiting, and retaining qualified team members is especially acute.Through strategic partnerships with groups across the health care landscape, Inova Schar Cancer (Inova Schar) in Fairfax, Virginia, has successfully addressed some of these acute needs within the areas of clinical research, phlebotomy, medical physics, and dosimetry. Clinical ResearchIn 2021, Inova Schar's clinical research team was experiencing higherthan-expected turnover rates.As is common with people filling various clinical research roles, team members were leaving for good reasons including enrollment in medical school, nursing school, and other graduate or educational programs.However, this turnover was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in new challenges to retain and attract team members.By the end of 2020, the clinical research team was facing a risk of insufficient staffing for the Inova Schar's growing research volumes.To address the anticipated need, senior director Stephanie Van Bebber, MSc, CCRP, senior director of the clinical trials office at Inova Schar, and her leaders began to brainstorm ideas to foster interest in clinical research both internally and externally.Key initiatives included building a robust education and training program for both non-research and research personnel, professionalizing the research positions, and creating a program to develop a future pipeline for clinical research professionals.