CCRPS Reviews: Katie Decker, From Clinical Research Receptionist to Certified Study Coordinator

Katie Decker completed the CCRPS certification course, aiming to bolster her extensive practical experience in clinical research with formal training. This certification enhanced her professional profile by validating her knowledge and skills, aligning with industry standards, and preparing her for advanced roles in clinical research.

In preparation for further accreditation for CCRPS, we are conducting case studies with graduates to discuss their experience in our course in 15-30 minute interviews with our clinical research educator, Courtney. We invited students to share their feedback asking extensive questions on why they chose the course, what they felt while taking the course, and how the course has helped them after completion. Today, we share Katie Decker's feedback from the CCRPS certification program highlights the effectiveness of the course in reinforcing and expanding her knowledge in clinical research. Her suggestions for incorporating more interactive elements and enhancing the marketing of the course's flexibility are valuable insights that could help improve the learning experience for future participants. Overall, her positive review and the tangible benefits she has experienced in her career underscore the value of the CCRPS program in professional development.

Key Takeaways

● Katie appreciated the self-paced online format, which allowed her to manage her learning alongside work commitments efficiently.

● The certification significantly boosted Katie's confidence and enhanced her resume, making it more compelling to potential employers.

Professional Background and Progression:

● With seven years of experience in research roles, progressing from receptionist to study coordinator, Katie has learned significantly on the job. The certification added formal acknowledgment of her skills and knowledge, leading to increased job offers and opportunities.

Learning Platform Experience:

● The platform was easy to navigate and allowed Katie to pick up where she left off, which she found convenient for integrating learning into her busy schedule.

Confidence and Career Advancement:

●The certification has not only enhanced Katie's resume but also her confidence, particularly evident during job interviews and professional interactions.

Course Experience and Content:

● Katie enjoyed the accomplishment of completing the course and obtaining her certification. She valued the course as a good refresher on research basics and appreciated learning new aspects of clinical research.

Motivation and Outcomes:

● Choosing the course for its self-paced format, Katie needed a certification that could be completed alongside her job without requiring a degree. The course fulfilled these requirements and prepared her for career advancement.

Engaging and Beneficial Course Aspects:

● Taking exams and realizing the depth of her knowledge was particularly satisfying for Katie, reaffirming her competence in her field.

@0:00 - Courtney Fulkerson (Certified Clinical Research Professionals Society CCRPS): "This meeting is being recorded. Sorry, let me make sure everything. Okay. I think we're good to go. All right. Well, first of all, thank you so much for meeting with me and congrats on completing the CCRPS program."

@0:41 - Katie Decker: "Definitely completing the course, obviously. I worked in research for like seven years now. So it was kind of cool to have like a refresher on the basics and also kind of learning a couple new things here and there. But definitely just completing the course is very accomplishing."

@1:04 - Katie Decker: "Um, so I actually my employer signed me up for the class and everything. Um, originally I worked for a different employer and they were going to have me... I don't know the name of the program, but it was where I actually had to sit for an in-person exam... Um, so this wasn't what I was expecting when I first started the classes and I loved that it was online and kind of self-paced. So, um, it was super like user friendly and very easy and convenient with my work schedule to do."

@3:54 - Katie Decker: "Yeah, definitely. It was nice because I could do it at work and like in between patients kind of hop on and do a couple pages."

@4:10 - Katie Decker: "Definitely. I think for a refresher course, it's always good to kind of refresh on documenting AEs and SAEs and the informed consent process."

@8:19 - Katie Decker: "So I did add the certification on to my personal resume, and then I have a LinkedIn profile and also Indeed. So I have like a picture of like the actual certification with a little serial number and everything on there."

@8:44 - Katie Decker: "And yeah, definitely. And it's nice to when you can, like, if your computer locks or whatever, when you log in, it just brings you right back to where you are, which was really convenient."

@9:00 - Katie Decker: "since ankle and a core research. I just think overall it's just nice to have any kind of extra certification or like a document under your belt... So like for me, like they just called me a coordinator, which I know it's still the same thing. But now I have like the ACRC like my signature and all my name tag, which is nice. So it kind of, you know, always a confidence boost."

@9:32 - Katie Decker: "And this might sound weird, but I guess kind of just taking the exam was kind of just nice like, Oh, I know that. It's easy. the answer to that's so easy. So it kind of just makes me like realize what, wow, I actually do kind of know more of what I'm doing."

@11:03 - Katie Decker: "I think it kind of helps me like be more motivated to go back to school. Eventually, I do want to be a CRA. So I think it's just kind of nice just with already being coordinated for so long. Just having that kind of like title now, like credit it, kind of versus coordinator. It kind of just helps boost my career. It kind of like just makes my resume a little more beefy or two and helps boost my knowledge."

@11:44 - Courtney Fulkerson (Certified Clinical Research Professionals Society CCRPS): "Thank you. I'll send you an email or go get email with your gift card for doing this with me and it should just come through email. But if you have any problems, just definitely reach out to me."

@11:58 - Katie Decker: "Have a good day. You too."