March 04, 2024

Meet Caroline Drain 

Clinical Research Specialist 

Where are you from? 

I was born and raised in St. Louis (in University City). I played basketball my entire life and received a full athletic scholarship to St. Louis University in 1979 where I played Division 1 Basketball for 4 years.

What brought you to Washington University Orthopedics?

I’ve worked at WashU for the past 38 years; 32 in Psychiatry and/or Neurology, and the past six years working for John Clohisy, MD, hip specialist.

How do you support the department? 

I am honored to assist Dr. Clohisy with the management of his research projects in many ways:

• Act as primary site liaison with funding agency staff (all levels), site investigators/ coordinators, and grants/research/contracts managers involved in the execution of the research grants
• Manage pre- and post-award activities for grants and contracts; Oversee research proposals, awards and/or transactions related to contracts and grant management; Maintain contract and grant records in compliance with institutional research sponsor policies
• Develop and write technical study guides and master documents to effectively manage research-related activities: study manuals and protocols, progress report forms, strategic planning timelines
• Organize and facilitate local, national, and international investigator and coordinator conference calls
• In collaboration with finance teams, manage research budgets in accordance with funding opportunity; create, review and/or approve site invoices to ensure investigator payments occur in a timely manner
• Assist in the management of our collaborative research team

• Management of the ANCHOR Group (where Dr. Clohisy is one of its leaders).  The Academic Network of Conservational Hip Outcomes Research is a multicenter clinical research group investigating adolescent and adult hip disorders. Their efforts are focused on improving patient care through research, education and mentorship. At the present time, ANCHOR has 36 orthopaedic surgeons at 24 academic institutions across the United States and Canada.

What aspect of your work do you find most interesting or rewarding?

Working for such an amazingly, impactful orthopaedic surgeon as Dr. Clohisy; working with his surgeon PI partners (Drs. Nepple and Pascual-Garrido in particular) within ANCHOR; working with such an amazingly dedicated research team as ours.

What's your favorite thing to do outside of work? 

Staying active by attending spin classes at Cyclebar; working out with my longtime trainer; hanging out with a great circle of friends who are more like my family members than my friends.

What's the best advice you've ever received? 

Try not to worry about things that haven’t happened yet.

If you weren't in health care, what would you like to be doing?

Offering my time and energy to non-profits like St. Louis Area Foodbank and Doorways.

Learn why patient's choose Washington University Orthopedics, request an appointment online or call (314) 514-3500.