Continuing Education: Clinical Research and Clinical Trials 

 

Continuing education for clinical research professionals is not a luxury. The dynamic world of clinical studies and clinical trials requires that all of us keep abreast of not only federal and state regulations, but our own institutional processes for the safe, ethical and reliable conduct of patient-oriented research. Just as study initiation and conduct is a shared responsibility, so, too, is continuing education. If you are a clinical research professional and interacting with study subjects (and/or information or specimens related to human subjects) please be aware of two ongoing venues for UMass-based education.

 

  • CRPG (Clinical Research Professionals Group) meets 4-6 times a year on a variety of topics relevant to study conduct. Past meetings have included a focus on IRB-related issues, HIPAA, recruitment, FDA role, study budgets and billing. Announcements are sent to all on the CRPG listerv. A second listserv is being developed for department administrators so that they can attend as applicable. Announcements and agenda items are sent forward through a listserv. Please call the Office of Clinical Research at x61953 to request the addition of your name to that email list.

 

  • GCP (Good Clinical Practice) training is a 12 hour educational program offered 3-4 times per year to provide the essentials of clinical research regulations and UMass policies concerning clinical research practice. The next session is July 9 and 10, 2008. Please use the links below for Agendas and Registration forms.

Agendas and Registration Forms 

Next CRPG Mtg:  To Be Announced         CRPG Agenda 

Next GCP Mtg:   January 28 and 29, 2009     GCP Agenda 

                                                                         GCP Registration 

 

  • Investigator training for FDA-regulated clinical trials has been offered in four-hour sessions the past 2 years. Announcements for this and other trainings will be sent 6-8 weeks in advance and posted to the website for the Office of Clinical Research. Please call Sheila Noone, Ph.D., Director of OCR at x65015 if you have suggestions for topics and/or speakers.

 

Many other organizations offer ongoing educational programs at the national and regional level including:

Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) at  www.acrpnet.org Society of Clinical Research Associates (SoCRA) at  www.socra.org 

Drug Information Association (DIA) at  www.diahome.org