Welcome back to MicroLearning Mondays, our biweekly series of bite-sized research administration trainings brought to you by the Department of Contracts and Grants.
This week’s topic: Understanding USC’s Clinical Trials Office: Support for Research Success
Why It Matters: Industry-sponsored clinical trials involve complex requirements—from budget negotiations and Medicare Coverage Analyses to contract terms, patient care costs, and OnCore tracking. Knowing when and how to engage the USC Clinical Trials Office (CTO) ensures compliant study activation, accurate billing, faster timelines, and a smoother research experience for investigators, participants, and departments. Understanding the difference between clinical trials and broader clinical research also helps you route proposals correctly and avoid delays.
In This Video, You’ll Learn:
What the Clinical Trials Office does—and when to contact them.
How clinical trials differ from other types of clinical research.
The role of OnCore in managing industry-sponsored studies.
Why Medicare Coverage Analysis (MCA) is required before activation.
How to determine whether your study belongs with CTO or DCG.
👉 Watch Understanding USC’s Clinical Trials Office: Support for Research Success
Questions or Feedback?
We’re here to help! For anything related to MicroLearning Mondays, please reach out to Noah Congelliere in the Department of Contracts and Grants.