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My ACRP Certification: Making a Difference
My son had cystic fibrosis. Jonathan was brave and valiant in his fight against this disease but it was a battle we were unable to win. After his death at 11 years of age, I went to nursing school. Upon graduating and receiving my RN, I worked as a staff nurse taking care of cystic fibrosis patients and then as a pulmonary clinic nurse. Every time we lost a patient to CF I would came to the same conclusion, we need better drugs. For the past 7 years I have been a Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator at Washington University School of Medicine where I work exclusively with cystic fibrosis patients moving drugs through the pipeline. The world is slowly changing for our patients and even conservative physicians are using words like “cure” and describing this disease as one that in time we will be able to manage. I cannot think of a better way to decrease suffering and leave the planet better than we found it than clinical research. I find great joy in doing my job and maybe even more joy in inspiring others that this is a work worth doing and worth doing well.
I received my ACRP certification as a Clinical Research Coordinator in 2011. This certification has allowed me the opportunity to not only preform with excellence here at my site but to contribute to my profession on a national level by speaking at conferences, mentoring other coordinators, coaching other research teams and writing for publications. My ACRP certification has given me confidence to advocate for patients, present studies accurately to our IRB, foresee issues with a particular protocol and both safely and competently manage a study. I am passionate about research and aware that real people are waiting for real drugs. I have been privileged to see game changing drugs come to market and to tell young people with cystic fibrosis that they best choose careers they like and spouses they love because we expect them to live. As a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator I am part of a team of professionals who participate in work that matters.
The 4 letters, CCRC, behind my name communicates that I have mastered a body of knowledge encompassing all areas of research from ethics and protection of human subjects, to drug accountability and SAE reporting. ACRP certification speaks to research colleagues of my commitment to the field of clinical research and, more specifically, of the training and continuing education required to maintain this certification. My experience has fueled my passion but my ACRP certification equips me both by the training it represents and the confidence it instills to move the ball forward in clinical drug trials. Battling cystic fibrosis is personal for me but really all the disease processes we are fighting against as research coordinators are personal to someone. I want very much as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator to fight this good fight well and inspire others to do the same.
Patty Burks RN, MA, CCRC
My son had cystic fibrosis. Jonathan was brave and valiant in his fight against this disease but it was a battle we were unable to win. After his death at 11 years of age, I went to nursing school. Upon graduating and receiving my RN, I worked as a staff nurse taking care of cystic fibrosis patients and then as a pulmonary clinic nurse. Every time we lost a patient to CF I would came to the same conclusion, we need better drugs. For the past 7 years I have been a Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator at Washington University School of Medicine where I work exclusively with cystic fibrosis patients moving drugs through the pipeline. The world is slowly changing for our patients and even conservative physicians are using words like “cure” and describing this disease as one that in time we will be able to manage. I cannot think of a better way to decrease suffering and leave the planet better than we found it than clinical research. I find great joy in doing my job and maybe even more joy in inspiring others that this is a work worth doing and worth doing well.
I received my ACRP certification as a Clinical Research Coordinator in 2011. This certification has allowed me the opportunity to not only preform with excellence here at my site but to contribute to my profession on a national level by speaking at conferences, mentoring other coordinators, coaching other research teams and writing for publications. My ACRP certification has given me confidence to advocate for patients, present studies accurately to our IRB, foresee issues with a particular protocol and both safely and competently manage a study. I am passionate about research and aware that real people are waiting for real drugs. I have been privileged to see game changing drugs come to market and to tell young people with cystic fibrosis that they best choose careers they like and spouses they love because we expect them to live. As a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator I am part of a team of professionals who participate in work that matters.
The 4 letters, CCRC, behind my name communicates that I have mastered a body of knowledge encompassing all areas of research from ethics and protection of human subjects, to drug accountability and SAE reporting. ACRP certification speaks to research colleagues of my commitment to the field of clinical research and, more specifically, of the training and continuing education required to maintain this certification. My experience has fueled my passion but my ACRP certification equips me both by the training it represents and the confidence it instills to move the ball forward in clinical drug trials. Battling cystic fibrosis is personal for me but really all the disease processes we are fighting against as research coordinators are personal to someone. I want very much as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator to fight this good fight well and inspire others to do the same.
Patty Burks RN, MA, CCRC
