CCRPS Reviews: Maria Lopez's Journey with CCRPS Certification: From Physician to Chief Medical Officer at a Specialized CRO

Before CCRPS Maria Lopez was an experienced physician with a background in medical devices, looking to expand her role within clinical research. After CCRPS Maria ascended to the role of Chief Medical Officer at a CRO in Columbia, specializing in medical devices, significantly enhancing her expertise in clinical research operations.

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 Maria's insights provide a profound view of the impact that the CCRPS certification program has had on her professional capabilities and her organization's services.

Key Takeaways

● Maria appreciated how the course was structured, which allowed her to develop a deep understanding of clinical research administration, particularly in the context of medical devices.

● The inclusion of templates and structured guidance within the course enabled Maria to streamline her workflow and implement standardized procedures at her CRO.

● The focus on quality and safety in the course resonated with Maria’s values as a physician, empowering her to uphold high standards in her organization's research practices.

Engagement and Professional Development:

● The course's flexible, self-paced format was perfectly suited to Maria’s busy schedule, allowing her to engage deeply with the material and apply the knowledge effectively in her role.

Closing Thoughts:

● Maria's experience with the CCRPS certification underscores its value not just in educational enrichment but also in practical application within the clinical research industry. Her story is a testament to the program's role in advancing careers and enhancing the quality of research practices globally.

Recommendations to Colleagues:

● Maria strongly recommends the CCRPS course to her peers, emphasizing its comprehensive coverage of clinical trials, its practical utility, and the continuous access to updated content, ensuring that learners stay informed of the latest industry standards and regulations.

Career Advancement:

● The CCRPS certification was pivotal in Maria’s promotion to Chief Medical Officer, where she now plays a crucial role in expanding her company’s services to include clinical research for medical devices, demonstrating the direct career benefits of the program.

Insights for Future Improvement:

● Maria suggested enhancements to the course, including more interactive teaching methods beyond slide reading and better follow-up on participant inquiries to strengthen the learning experience.

@0:00 Courtney Fulkerson: "All right. First of all, thank you for meeting with me today and we're pretty much just going to kind of go through some questions and get your feedback on the program and things that you like about it, things you didn't and pretty much just to tailor the program from here on out like any feedback."

@1:15 Maria Lopez: "It was really important for me, the part where we're at it. I mean, you usually know the basics of the history of political research, but it was like a really wide and long, it gave me a lot of information about it in a timeline. It was many things I didn't know. And now I have a wider structure about it. It was really from the beginning was like, wow, they usually go really fast through ethics, but it was really important."

@2:30 Maria Lopez: "The other thing that I loved is you gave us a lot of templates and for example, letter structures, then you can start using them that when you now have a file of papers that I don't have to have a changed name, the log. Oh, I've got a little bit more of my devices, but not only the knowledge, but now have a lot of papers that are always ready to start going on. So that is that was amazing. That is the, this is the only course I ever done that I really find that those many times and stuff."

@3:45 Courtney Fulkerson: "Yeah, it's good to hear just any really point of view. And I feel like as long as it was useful and you're able to kind of talk about like the way you've been able to use it, which I know you have a little bit, but we're grateful for any feedback."

@4:50 Maria Lopez: "I was really interested in quality that is like the main thing we are really into it. So quality was when I read what I went over the course, me and my boss, we were ready. It was like, OK, we need this to be like really into quality. Because our CRO, we all of us, I mean, our doctors, we're all physicians, basically, we're physicians. So all everything around quality and safety, it's really important."

@6:10 Courtney Fulkerson: "Right, that's very, I mean, it's important. It's important in anything. But I mean, that's not too good that you found that within our course."

@7:22 Maria Lopez: "You know, me as a non, I mean, I speak my native language Spanish and Sometimes you get into those programs and you have many accents that are so hard, but you didn't. That was really good. I understood like everyone."

@8:55 Courtney Fulkerson: "Good."

@9:10 Maria Lopez: "I'm definitely coming back. I didn't download everything. And I just got it there. And the topics that I feel like not very strong, I've listened to them. Not like starting for the exam, but like listening to it. we were a podcast, listening to them and really getting into them."