I had a great time at this place!

[2wipes1cup]

I recently did a 19-day study at NOCCR/VRG, and it was very enjoyable.

I filled out their online questionnaire over a year ago to no avail. Months later I called them directly, but the study they had didn't work with my schedule. This most recent time, I called them after being discharged from Parexel in Baltimore due to elevated ALT (see my post about that under the Parexel thread), and they told me of a $4000 study admitting the next Monday. I scheduled a screening for the next day while on a bus from DC to Knoxville.

The unit is in a wing of the Univ. of Tenn. Medical Center. Like any hospital unit, it looks cluttered upon first entry. There are about 10-15 rooms, each with two hospital beds, an older TV, and a bathroom with sink and toilet. There is a decently-sized TV/waiting room with plentiful seating on leather couches and a HUGE TV with AV inputs for computers or game consoles. There is also a smaller room at the other end with another medium TV with hookups, two recliners, and a desk and chair. The dining room also has a TV and four tables. They have good wi-fi, but no computers. There is one shower room in the facility, but it is easy to access and was available even at night. There is no washer or dryer, which is the only thing they need to work on.

The screening process was pretty smooth and typical. They had several time-slots available to choose from. After screening, I was called back a few days later and checked-in the following Monday.

The check-in process was a breeze; within 30 minutes I was laying in my bed.

I found the staff here to be remarkably friendly, and they seemed to be in good spirits working together. They were professional, yet not uptight; relaxed, yet not negligent or half-a**ed. I hate to use the cliche "southern hospitality", but it was a noticeable change of pace after doing studies in the northeast (I'm a native Texan). But all that aside, the atmosphere genuinely felt welcoming. The doctor was friendly every time and made good small talk, and it didn't take long to get on a first-name basis with the staff.

I was in a cohort of less than 10 guys, and only one alternate was sent home. My roommate was really chill this time, as was the cohort overall. Several of us came from several states away, and that didn't seem to hinder our inclusion in the study.

While I was there, several of the staff (including the doctor) talked up their referral program, and two recruiters made the rounds to get our opinions about the ease of recruitment. I also saw several of their commercials on the local channels. It seems like they really want more visibility, and they seem to appreciate subjects that aren't total wackos//jerks (as opposed to some places that reward that behavior).

They told me that they post their newest studies on their Facebook page, so check there for the latest postings.

Honestly, I could have stayed there an extra week! The dosing and blood draws were primarily done in your bed, and the place is small enough to where it's not hard for the staff to find you for procedures, as opposed to other places where they give you detailed time sheets and bark s over intercoms. Plus, we got paid in full at the follow-up visit!

For those taking public transit: take the 42 Bus (UT/Ft Sanders Hospitals) from the Knoxville Area Transit Center and get off at the UT Medical Center. The Megabus drops off at the KAT transit center, and the Greyhound station is a 30 minute walk way. There is a Super 8 motel by Merchants Dr on the 20 bus that's only $39 a night (and you can pay in cash). Many buses don't run on Sunday, and the 42 bus runs once an hour. For the drivers: NOCCR provides parking passes.

Knoxville was a pretty mellow city, too. I had a follow-up six days later, and you can find weekly rates on the outskirts of town for $200. If you don't mind Scottish Inns, I saw they have a weekly rate of $149, but it's beyond the reach of public transit.


All in all, it was a very pleasant stay!

[2wipes1cup]

I forgot to add this. A Megabus from DC to Knoxville costs $19; from Cincinatti (and Lexington) it costs $33; from Atlanta it costs $13. This is if you were to it just a few days in advance.

Add it all up, and you can get to Knoxville from Dallas, Chicago, or NYC via Megabus for less than $100.

If you search Megabus for NYC>Knoxville, the price is $81 and comprises two bus trips. However, those two bus trips separately cost $31 (NYC>DC) and $19 (DC>Knoxville).

[Scar Tissue]

Do they use Verified Clinical Trials (VCT)?

[ccochran]

I don't think they do. At least not yet. They have a referral thing too. $50 per new patient that participates in a study.

[honestlabrat]

Can you please tell me how the food was? Do you have to eat it all?

[2wipes1cup]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply - got busy with school and stuff.

They do not participate in VCT. At least, they didn't in July when I was there.

And the food wasn't bad. It was like low-end corporate workplace cafeteria food. The wraps were good, the burgers not so great, but overall it wasn't a chore to eat. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than , significantly better than Parexel; not as good as Covance Daytona Beach, and a step below .

You have to eat majority of it, but if you don't like tomatoes, for example, you can skip them with no hassle. The meals are very "balanced", so if you're used to stuffing to the brim, you might lose a little weight on a longer study there.

[diamond]

I really want to check this place out. I love driving through Tennessee... so pretty. Plus, I'm only doing studies at places where you don't have to eat everything.

Its weird, I eat a lot, but not 3 big meals a day. I like to eat every 2 hours... in small bits. My stomach can't handle the huge meals. It makes me constipated on every study... and then that gets reported as a side effect and if I force myself to eat everything, I usually end up puking in my toilet.... or on the floor... or on my bed... or on my roommate's suitcase. Its just bad all around.

If someone could make a list of clinics where you DO NOT have to eat everything... that would be super duper neat.

[eekk]

Any updates if they use VCT, my husband is hoping to screen there in the next few weeks.

[brandon]

2wipes1cup... hilarious screen name.

[vark]

as far as i know is the only place where you have to eat everything, unless that's changed any this year.

[loredo]

This place is really close to where I live and I was thinking about calling them to see what they might have for my first study. It sounds like it would be a good place to start from the first post. Has anyone else had the same kind of experience? I am a college student looking for ways to get extra cash for my tuition and this is the closest place to me that I know of. I can't find any of their studies on the study scavenger app, though, so I don't know if that means they don't do studies for healthy people anymore or not.

[FloridaGirl]

Aug 31, 2013 15:34:22 GMT -5 2wipes1cup said:

I recently did a 19-day study at NOCCR/VRG, and it was very enjoyable.

I filled out their online questionnaire over a year ago to no avail. Months later I called them directly, but the study they had didn't work with my schedule. This most recent time, I called them after being discharged from Parexel in Baltimore due to elevated ALT (see my post about that under the Parexel thread), and they told me of a $4000 study admitting the next Monday. I scheduled a screening for the next day while on a bus from DC to Knoxville.

The unit is in a wing of the Univ. of Tenn. Medical Center. Like any hospital unit, it looks cluttered upon first entry. There are about 10-15 rooms, each with two hospital beds, an older TV, and a bathroom with sink and toilet. There is a decently-sized TV/waiting room with plentiful seating on leather couches and a HUGE TV with AV inputs for computers or game consoles. There is also a smaller room at the other end with another medium TV with hookups, two recliners, and a desk and chair. The dining room also has a TV and four tables. They have good wi-fi, but no computers. There is one shower room in the facility, but it is easy to access and was available even at night. There is no washer or dryer, which is the only thing they need to work on.

The screening process was pretty smooth and typical. They had several time-slots available to choose from. After screening, I was called back a few days later and checked-in the following Monday.

The check-in process was a breeze; within 30 minutes I was laying in my bed.

I found the staff here to be remarkably friendly, and they seemed to be in good spirits working together. They were professional, yet not uptight; relaxed, yet not negligent or half-a**ed. I hate to use the cliche "southern hospitality", but it was a noticeable change of pace after doing studies in the northeast (I'm a native Texan). But all that aside, the atmosphere genuinely felt welcoming. The doctor was friendly every time and made good small talk, and it didn't take long to get on a first-name basis with the staff.

I was in a cohort of less than 10 guys, and only one alternate was sent home. My roommate was really chill this time, as was the cohort overall. Several of us came from several states away, and that didn't seem to hinder our inclusion in the study.

While I was there, several of the staff (including the doctor) talked up their referral program, and two recruiters made the rounds to get our opinions about the ease of recruitment. I also saw several of their commercials on the local channels. It seems like they really want more visibility, and they seem to appreciate subjects that aren't total wackos//jerks (as opposed to some places that reward that behavior).

They told me that they post their newest studies on their Facebook page, so check there for the latest postings.

Honestly, I could have stayed there an extra week! The dosing and blood draws were primarily done in your bed, and the place is small enough to where it's not hard for the staff to find you for procedures, as opposed to other places where they give you detailed time sheets and bark s over intercoms. Plus, we got paid in full at the follow-up visit!

For those taking public transit: take the 42 Bus (UT/Ft Sanders Hospitals) from the Knoxville Area Transit Center and get off at the UT Medical Center. The Megabus drops off at the KAT transit center, and the Greyhound station is a 30 minute walk way. There is a Super 8 motel by Merchants Dr on the 20 bus that's only $39 a night (and you can pay in cash). Many buses don't run on Sunday, and the 42 bus runs once an hour. For the drivers: NOCCR provides parking passes.

Knoxville was a pretty mellow city, too. I had a follow-up six days later, and you can find weekly rates on the outskirts of town for $200. If you don't mind Scottish Inns, I saw they have a weekly rate of $149, but it's beyond the reach of public transit.


All in all, it was a very pleasant stay!

I live in Florida and really appreciate your post. I can fly direct to Knoxville pretty cheap on Allegiant  Air so I am will keep checking for studies. I guess I would have to either take a cab or uber to the clinic.  I did sign up for email notification so I am hoping to screen in the next few months.  Thanks again, I am always looking for safe , pleasant facilities.  

[puntkicker]

Oct 26, 2016 19:31:04 GMT -5 FloridaGirl said:

Aug 31, 2013 15:34:22 GMT -5 2wipes1cup said:

I recently did a 19-day study at NOCCR/VRG, and it was very enjoyable.

I filled out their online questionnaire over a year ago to no avail. Months later I called them directly, but the study they had didn't work with my schedule. This most recent time, I called them after being discharged from Parexel in Baltimore due to elevated ALT (see my post about that under the Parexel thread), and they told me of a $4000 study admitting the next Monday. I scheduled a screening for the next day while on a bus from DC to Knoxville.

The unit is in a wing of the Univ. of Tenn. Medical Center. Like any hospital unit, it looks cluttered upon first entry. There are about 10-15 rooms, each with two hospital beds, an older TV, and a bathroom with sink and toilet. There is a decently-sized TV/waiting room with plentiful seating on leather couches and a HUGE TV with AV inputs for computers or game consoles. There is also a smaller room at the other end with another medium TV with hookups, two recliners, and a desk and chair. The dining room also has a TV and four tables. They have good wi-fi, but no computers. There is one shower room in the facility, but it is easy to access and was available even at night. There is no washer or dryer, which is the only thing they need to work on.

The screening process was pretty smooth and typical. They had several time-slots available to choose from. After screening, I was called back a few days later and checked-in the following Monday.

The check-in process was a breeze; within 30 minutes I was laying in my bed.

I found the staff here to be remarkably friendly, and they seemed to be in good spirits working together. They were professional, yet not uptight; relaxed, yet not negligent or half-a**ed. I hate to use the cliche "southern hospitality", but it was a noticeable change of pace after doing studies in the northeast (I'm a native Texan). But all that aside, the atmosphere genuinely felt welcoming. The doctor was friendly every time and made good small talk, and it didn't take long to get on a first-name basis with the staff.

I was in a cohort of less than 10 guys, and only one alternate was sent home. My roommate was really chill this time, as was the cohort overall. Several of us came from several states away, and that didn't seem to hinder our inclusion in the study.

While I was there, several of the staff (including the doctor) talked up their referral program, and two recruiters made the rounds to get our opinions about the ease of recruitment. I also saw several of their commercials on the local channels. It seems like they really want more visibility, and they seem to appreciate subjects that aren't total wackos//jerks (as opposed to some places that reward that behavior).

They told me that they post their newest studies on their Facebook page, so check there for the latest postings.

Honestly, I could have stayed there an extra week! The dosing and blood draws were primarily done in your bed, and the place is small enough to where it's not hard for the staff to find you for procedures, as opposed to other places where they give you detailed time sheets and bark s over intercoms. Plus, we got paid in full at the follow-up visit!

For those taking public transit: take the 42 Bus (UT/Ft Sanders Hospitals) from the Knoxville Area Transit Center and get off at the UT Medical Center. The Megabus drops off at the KAT transit center, and the Greyhound station is a 30 minute walk way. There is a Super 8 motel by Merchants Dr on the 20 bus that's only $39 a night (and you can pay in cash). Many buses don't run on Sunday, and the 42 bus runs once an hour. For the drivers: NOCCR provides parking passes.

Knoxville was a pretty mellow city, too. I had a follow-up six days later, and you can find weekly rates on the outskirts of town for $200. If you don't mind Scottish Inns, I saw they have a weekly rate of $149, but it's beyond the reach of public transit.


All in all, it was a very pleasant stay!

I live in Florida and really appreciate your post. I can fly direct to Knoxville pretty cheap on Allegiant  Air so I am will keep checking for studies. I guess I would have to either take a cab or uber to the clinic.  I did sign up for email notification so I am hoping to screen in the next few months.  Thanks again, I am always looking for safe , pleasant facilities.  

That's actually what I was thinking(cabs, Uber, Lyft) if I ever fly to DB or anywhere. However, if you go through travelocity or other similar sites, sometimes you can get a good deal on rental cars when bundled with trips. While they wouldn't likely make sense for the study, in certain cities and circumstances, the price for the screening may make sense. If I recall correctly, Ive seen some cities for around $20. I've nothing against cabs and Uber/Lyft, but in some cases the numbers may be close enough to make the extra convenience worth it.

Best wishes to you venturing out of Florida, Floridagirl, and to anyone else checking this place out. I think I likely signed up to their list in the summer but haven't heard back...

[FloridaGirl]

I think I have to venture out Florida to make any real money next year. I was looking at NOCCR because it looked easy to get to and since the report is that they are nice that help me.
Now with Alligant having crappy planes I might fly Southwest but will look into the bundling for screening.
I am just ready to make so me money next year.Waiting for a call from Covance post screen icy and it is a little nerve racking since I have not screened anywhere else so I really need this study.
So right now just hanging out, passing time, waiting for a phone call and thinking I should screen elsewhere just in case.
That is the only thing about Covance they have you screen three to four weeks out before the study starts and then u are just waiting and they don't usually call until a week before the study starts. I usually get in , have at least gotten in to all of the ones I have screened for and kicked out of one after check I in, also depends on how many people they need and how many show up and how many pass screen in labs.
I have a girlfriend who is more adventurous so I am also getting info from her. I told her that if she gets in and if we both go back I will use her as a referral since she has done the grunt work getting the info, flights, transportation and hotel information.
She is willing to fly anywhere to screen for the big studies paying $8,000 and higher.
Looking forward to good things next year.

[userusername]

Anyone know if NOCCR currently uses VCT?