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The good, the bad, and the ugly. I have seen it all, and my Certified Clinical Research Coordinator certification has seen me through it. From blood samples, to urine samples, to rowdy study participants, my time in clinical research has certainly been interesting and rewarding. And I owe a great deal of it to my certification.
In 1999 I found myself learning the ropes of a new and exciting job. Late nights, early mornings, long days, it had it all. I was genuinely interested in the studies we were conducting, phase I generics. I felt good knowing that people were benefiting financially from the work I was doing, and that also placed a sense of responsibility into the mix. In 2001 I sat for the CCRC exam. Was I crazy? Did I have the experience and knowledge necessary to pass a test of this caliber? Would I get a pat on the head and a “nice try”? I shouldn’t have worried. I passed! I was no longer a Research Assistant, I was a Clinical Coordinator, a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator! And with that certification came responsibilities. I now had the responsibility of teaching my colleagues my skill set. Co-workers came to me for answers. I quickly moved into a Team Leader role as a Sr. Clinical Research Coordinator with my company. I was now trusted not only with the studies, but an entire group of colleagues, all because of my skills and the education opportunities made possible through ACRP and my CCRC certification. I was seen as a leader. And here I am, 13 years later, still a CCRC, still a resource to my team, still a leader.
In 2006, the Red River Valley Chapter was formed and became an additional resource for CCRCs to get the education they needed and the networking that we had been lacking in our area. I served as President in 2009, and Secretary in 2008. I am also a fixture on the Education Committee. The Chapter has grown so much over the years, and it has been wonderful watching it grow and prosper. We now host an annual Symposium at which attendees can earn up to 7.5 credits. It has been amazing to be part of starting something like this chapter. It has definitely been a perk of earning and maintaining my CCRC.
The CCRC certification lends a great deal to the industry of clinical research. Not only do clients know they are having their study run by trained individuals, they know that they are having their study run by certified individuals. Clients are seeing this extended knowledge base and feeling more secure with their sites. This leads to a trusting relationship between Sponsor and site. The more trust placed in that relationship, the smoother and more accurately the studies will run. They will run as a collaborative effort between Sponsor and site, keeping communication lines open and minimizing protocol deviations.
My certification certainly increased my confidence in my job. It made me a leader. It also helped me become a source of knowledge that others can rely on.
In 1999 I found myself learning the ropes of a new and exciting job. Late nights, early mornings, long days, it had it all. I was genuinely interested in the studies we were conducting, phase I generics. I felt good knowing that people were benefiting financially from the work I was doing, and that also placed a sense of responsibility into the mix. In 2001 I sat for the CCRC exam. Was I crazy? Did I have the experience and knowledge necessary to pass a test of this caliber? Would I get a pat on the head and a “nice try”? I shouldn’t have worried. I passed! I was no longer a Research Assistant, I was a Clinical Coordinator, a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator! And with that certification came responsibilities. I now had the responsibility of teaching my colleagues my skill set. Co-workers came to me for answers. I quickly moved into a Team Leader role as a Sr. Clinical Research Coordinator with my company. I was now trusted not only with the studies, but an entire group of colleagues, all because of my skills and the education opportunities made possible through ACRP and my CCRC certification. I was seen as a leader. And here I am, 13 years later, still a CCRC, still a resource to my team, still a leader.
In 2006, the Red River Valley Chapter was formed and became an additional resource for CCRCs to get the education they needed and the networking that we had been lacking in our area. I served as President in 2009, and Secretary in 2008. I am also a fixture on the Education Committee. The Chapter has grown so much over the years, and it has been wonderful watching it grow and prosper. We now host an annual Symposium at which attendees can earn up to 7.5 credits. It has been amazing to be part of starting something like this chapter. It has definitely been a perk of earning and maintaining my CCRC.
The CCRC certification lends a great deal to the industry of clinical research. Not only do clients know they are having their study run by trained individuals, they know that they are having their study run by certified individuals. Clients are seeing this extended knowledge base and feeling more secure with their sites. This leads to a trusting relationship between Sponsor and site. The more trust placed in that relationship, the smoother and more accurately the studies will run. They will run as a collaborative effort between Sponsor and site, keeping communication lines open and minimizing protocol deviations.
My certification certainly increased my confidence in my job. It made me a leader. It also helped me become a source of knowledge that others can rely on.
