How to Become a Clinical Research Associate
A clinical research associate acts as a liaison between research sponsors and the clinics conducting research. Here’s how you can become one.
November 29, 2023
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Instructors: Valerie Swigart, Ph.D. R.N.
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Understanding the clinical terms and abbreviations commonly used during verbal or written communication in U.S. hospitals is challenging. This course is designed for U.S. health care profession students and for international students and practitioners who want to become more familiar with the language of the U.S. clinical setting. Others, such as caregivers and medical interpreters, who wish to develop a better understanding of terms and abbreviations used by health care providers will find this course helpful. The course provides visual and auditory learning experiences to enhance the understanding of terms and abbreviations commonly encountered on a general U.S. hospital unit. All content including quizzes are available at no cost to the learner. If you need a certificate, you can apply for financial aid or pay the fee. To find out more, click Learn more and apply next to the information about Financial Aid. (Use a computer, not a mobile device, for this step.)
In the week 1 video lecture, Dr. Swigart introduces the course and strategies for understanding the structure of clinical abbreviations and complex terms. In week 1 readings, we focus on learning abbreviations related to vital signs. Understanding the structure of abbreviations will help you to identify the meaning of abbreviations presented in this course, as well as those you encounter in the future.
1 video12 readings6 assignments1 discussion prompt
In week 2, we expand our focus to learn about abbreviations and terms used in the hospital environment. You will tour a modern U.S. clinical unit and visit the bedside of three patients. These vicarious bedside experiences will help you to imagine the context in which the terms and abbreviations are used. Making associations of the terms or abbreviations to specific people, places or types of patients will help to “set” them in your memory. Begin Week 2 by previewing the complex medical terms you will find in this lesson and sharpening your skills for analyzing the structure of complex terms.
8 videos14 readings10 assignments
This week, Dr. Swigart shares more strategies toward discovering the meaning of complex medical/scientific words. It focuses on three essential clinical topics: abbreviations used in emergency situations, the timing and route of medications, and the administration of intravenous infusions. Learning about abbreviations related to medication and intravenous fluid administration requires that you pay close attention.
2 videos8 readings4 assignments
This week turns the focus to the acronyms commonly substituted for the name of diseases and conditions of the bodily systems. To help you relate the disease and its acronym, we have organized the diseases according to systems of the body. First letters of words or syllables usually form the acronym, and commonly at least one letter relates to a system of the body.
1 video13 readings9 assignments
This week, the lecture focuses on the important aspects of patient safety when using abbreviations. The readings focus on laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures. A patient-case approach is used to help you make associations between diseases and the tests or procedures typically required.
1 video15 readings8 assignments
As you worked through Week 1-5 sessions you have learned about abbreviations and terms used every day in clinical practice. Now you are ready to use your new knowledge and test your comprehension skills. This week you see and hear clinical conversation in reality-based video simulations.
8 videos5 readings7 assignments
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
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Reviewed on Apr 15, 2019
The instructor's calm and clear explanations make this a joy to watch. This course is very useful for me as a medical product translator to get an understanding of the actual clinical environment.
Reviewed on Sep 18, 2021
As a beginner in Medical Terminology, this course was very useful in general comprehension of the clinical setting, and I already use my knowledge in my medical translation work. Thank you so much!
Reviewed on Oct 12, 2021
Hands down this course was nothing short than amazing! its helpful informative and it challenge you to want to go further into the medical field. every instructor was excellent.
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Medical terms, abbreviations and acronyms are a large part of the verbal and written communication that occurs in clinical situations in the U.S. Abbreviations are used to increase efficiency by shortening the time to communicate. If you want to join in any conversation about clinical matters, you will need to understand terms, abbreviations and acronyms.
You can always ask for clarification. However, clinical settings in U.S. hospitals are often very busy, noisy places with people hurrying to meet patients’ needs. There will be little time for explanation of word meanings. The more emergent the situation, the more likely it is that abbreviations will be used. When you know a term or abbreviation before hearing it on the clinical unit, you will be a better communicator and more effective healthcare team member.
No. This is a course for beginning students. A major advantage is that the course helps you to focus on terms that you are most likely to hear or see during your early clinical training.
This course emphasizes learning to recognize and decipher common spoken and written clinical terms and abbreviations necessary for clear communication with patients and health care providers. Understanding and learning clinical language will help you to function more effectively and safely as a healthcare team member.
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
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