The world is becoming more fast-paced, with rising expectations pushing people to explore new strategies. One approach I’ve noticed gaining momentum is the use of artificial intelligence, which is quickly becoming a key strategy for professionals across industries to boost their performance and productivity. Clinical trial management is no exception. AI can take over repetitive tasks, identify issues and risks, and provide valuable insights on unfamiliar topics or technology. However, it’s important to note that while AI can be a fantastic tool, it doesn’t replace expert judgment or established methods. Rather, it complements our skills, allowing us to focus on the more critical and strategic aspects of our jobs.
With that in mind, I embarked on a journey to Reddit to see how fellow Clinical Trial Managers and Clinical Project Managers are utilizing AI already today to streamline their workflows and boost productivity. What I found was a treasure trove of smart ways AI is already being used to save time and energy. Here are five basic yet powerful ways CTMs and CPMs are using AI in their daily work.
Disclaimer: While exploring the use of AI in daily workflows to increase efficiency, always remember not to upload confidential data or any information under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) into AI systems, as some platforms can retain that data.
1. AI as an Enhanced Search Engine
One of the most time-consuming parts of any clinical trial manager’s job is research. Whether you’re looking up regulatory updates, clinical terminology, or unfamiliar medical processes, it often involves digging through multiple sources to find the right information. And let’s face it, “Googling” isn’t always the quickest way to find what you need.
AI, particularly ChatGPT, serves as a powerful search engine for specific queries. A Reddit user, “dubyah98,” who works in construction, highlighted how AI helps them understand complex specifications and terminology. Similarly, CTMs can use AI to quickly grasp unfamiliar clinical research terms, processes, or medical treatments. For example, instead of scrolling through countless pages for an answer to “What does RECIST 1.1 mean?” you can ask ChatGPT, and it will give you a tailored explanation in seconds.
This feature is particularly useful when you need quick answers to technical questions without diving deep into academic papers or industry guides. AI allows you to get the knowledge you need promptly, freeing up time for decision-making and strategy.
2. AI as an Explanatory Tool
Not only can AI help with research, but it can also explain complex topics in simpler terms. This can be a lifesaver when you’re preparing for a meeting or working with colleagues from different departments who may not be familiar with clinical trial intricacies.
Remember the scene from The Margin Call movie where the employee Peter Suillivan explains to the Board of Directors that the firm’s mortgage-backed securities portfolio is so highly leveraged and toxic that it could lead to the company’s collapse if their value continues to plummet. The big boss John Tuld does not understand a word and tells Peter Sullivan to explain this complex risk to him “like I was a 5-year-old”? AI can do just that. If you need to explain a complicated process to a team member or simply want to understand something better yourself, you can prompt ChatGPT to break it down for you. For instance, you could ask, “Explain RECIST 1.1 like I’m 10 years old,” and ChatGPT will provide a simplified yet accurate explanation.
This feature is particularly useful when you need to make informed decisions quickly but don’t have time to dive into the technical details. AI acts as a tutor, helping you bridge knowledge gaps so you can stay informed and on top of your projects.
3. AI-Generated Meeting Minutes
One of the more tedious tasks for any CTM or CPM is taking meeting minutes. Manually transcribing a meeting can be time-consuming, but with AI, this process becomes much more manageable. If you are using Microsoft Teams, even without the Co-Pilot license, it can automatically create transcripts when you record the meeting. These transcripts show who said what, and many CTMs and CPMs have found a clever workaround: they paste this text into AI tool and prompt it to generate concise and organized meeting minutes.
For those fortunate enough to have the Co-Pilot license integrated into their Office applications, this process becomes even more seamless. Co-Pilot can be instructed from the start of the meeting to write minutes for you. After the call, you’ll have a draft ready that requires only minimal editing. AI makes the process of writing meeting minutes faster and easier, giving you more time to focus on the action items instead of drowning in note-taking.
Gone are the days of endlessly scribbling notes during meetings; with AI, meeting minute-taking is no longer a dreaded task.
4. Email Management Made Simple
Emails are a core part of any manager’s day. Whether you’re following up with stakeholders, responding to sponsors, or collaborating with the study team, emails consume a significant chunk of time. Here’s where AI swoops in to help.
User “NiccyCage” on Reddit mentioned using AI to generate email drafts, which they then add personal touches to. The AI provides the structure and core message, saving time on composing emails from scratch. Whether you need to summarize a long email thread, rephrase a message to make it more professional, or even translate emails from other languages, AI has you covered. You can prompt ChatGPT to generate entire email responses, rephrase aggressive tones into professional ones, and even explain complex emails if you’re having trouble deciphering them.
By using AI as a writing assistant, clinical trial managers can quickly produce polished emails, ensuring clear and professional communication without the struggle of wordsmithing every sentence. The time saved on routine correspondence can then be directed to tasks that require deeper attention, like protocol development or risk management.
5. AI and Excel: A Match Made in Heaven
Excel is every CTM’s best friend and worst enemy. You likely spend hours working on trackers—sometimes even creating trackers for your trackers! Adjustments, analysis, and data comparisons can eat up valuable time, especially if you’re not an Excel wizard.
This is where AI comes in handy. Instead of Googling formulas or calling your Excel-savvy colleague, you can simply ask ChatGPT for help. For example, you might prompt, “I need to check in column F, rows 1 to 100, for duplicate entries. Provide instructions on how I can highlight any duplicate value in that range.” Or, “Write me an Excel formula to compare column A from Sheet1 to column A in Sheet2 and highlight any cells that don’t match.” These are straightforward tasks, but AI can also help with more complex formulas.
AI isn’t just for generating text—it can be your go-to assistant for number crunching and formula generation, making tedious Excel work a breeze. In the fast-paced environment of clinical trials, this time-saving hack can significantly improve your efficiency.
In Conclusion
AI is revolutionizing the way clinical trial managers work. From meeting minutes to email management, Excel formulas to research, and even simplifying complex concepts, AI is proving to be an invaluable tool in our daily work. By embracing AI, you can automate the mundane, gain deeper insights, and focus on what truly matters—delivering successful trials on time and within budget.
However, as helpful as AI is, always remember to handle sensitive information carefully. Confidential data should never be uploaded into AI systems unless they meet the necessary privacy and security standards.
By incorporating AI into your daily work, you can enhance your productivity, free up time for strategic thinking, and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of clinical research management. So why not give AI a try? You might find that it saves you hours each week—time that can be better spent on driving your projects to success.
Already tried it out? Let me know how it went in the comments below!
FAQ section
1. How can AI assist with meeting minutes in clinical trial management?
AI can help by automatically generating transcripts of recorded meetings, which can then be processed by tools like ChatGPT to create concise and structured meeting minutes. If using Microsoft Teams with a Co-Pilot license, AI can directly generate minutes during the meeting, saving time and reducing manual effort.
2. How does AI improve email management for clinical trial managers?
AI tools like ChatGPT can draft email responses, summarize long email threads, rephrase emails for better tone, and even translate emails. This streamlines communication, allowing clinical trial managers to focus on more critical tasks while ensuring professional and effective correspondence.
3. Can AI help with Excel formulas in clinical trial management?
Yes, AI can generate complex Excel formulas by simply processing prompts. For example, AI can help with tasks like identifying duplicates in a range, comparing columns between sheets, or performing complex data analysis. This reduces the time spent manually searching for or creating formulas.
4. How can AI act as a search engine for clinical trial managers?
Instead of manually searching multiple sources for clinical research terms, processes, or medical treatments, AI tools like ChatGPT can provide accurate, tailored explanations in seconds. This can save significant time and provide a deeper understanding of unfamiliar topics quickly.
5. Can AI simplify complex concepts in clinical research?
Yes, AI can act as a tutor, breaking down complex clinical research concepts into simpler, easy-to-understand language. For example, you can ask AI to explain technical terms like RECIST 1.1 in a way that even a 10-year-old could understand, making it easier to grasp complicated processes during a project.
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