Study Coordinators

In addition to what is offered in this section, please be sure to see Education for all researchers. This section includes IRB education, required CITI training, and other online training opportunities, such as the IRB Learning Shots.

The School Of Medicine Clinical Trials Office (SOM CTO) is a safe haven for the lost and lonely Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC).  We provide mentoring for new CRCs, either new to the job or just new to UVA.  We also manage a CRC global mailing list to alert coordinators to new issues, tips, continuing education opportunities, etc.  We are here at all times as a resource: a place to start to find the answer to your question or guidance in managing your trial(s).

The Office for Clinical Research (OCR) is committed to supporting Cancer Center Clinical study staff in Education and Compliance. We are dedicated to elevating the knowledge base and performance of the Cancer Center research study staff. The OCR assists Investigators and study coordinators at any stage in their trials.

Working with the Center for Organizational Development, the CTO offers training and education focusing on the various aspects of clinical trials. This education is designed to keep CRCs and PIs abreast of current trends in the conduct of clinical trials.

• Continuing education series
• External audio conferences
• Online orientation manual

The SOM CTO offers training and education focusing on the various aspects of clinical trials. This education is designed to keep CRCs and other research team members abreast of current internal research processes and trends in the conduct and ethics of clinical trials.The continuing education consists of webinars and the CRC Continuing Education Series.Each year coordinators are polled for their education requests and a continuing education series is created.

The SOM CTO is a “provider” for contact hours through the Virginia Nurses’ Association, and the continuing education series helps coordinators maintain the education hours they need to maintain their CRC or CRA certification.

The CRC email distribution list is an easy way to communicate with each other. Therefore, the CTO uses the email list to share tips, concerns, questions and answers, etc..

To join the email list, contact the Clinical Trials Office.

There are 2 national organizations that provide education and professional certification of Clinical Research Coordinators:  ACRP  and  SoCRA.

ACRP (Association of  Clinical Research Professionals) is the older organization.  From their website:

“Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, ACRP was founded in 1976 to address the distinct educational and networking needs of research nurses and others who supported the work of clinical investigations. With its own professional society came the recognition of a new distinctive profession — that of the clinical researcher. More than 35 years later, ACRP is a global association comprised of the largest community dedicated to clinical research and development.”

SoCRA (Society of Clinical Research Associates) was founded in 1991. From their website:

SoCRA, as a “professional membership organization, was developed to provide educational programs, certification, and a forum for research professionals to exchange information. SoCRA was originally created to benefit researchers at the site, yet our membership has grown to include monitors, data managers, quality assurance, and regulatory representatives from industry, academia, research centers, NIH and regulatory agencies.”