Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CAAPCR), the online Master of Clinical Research (MCR) degree program at The Ohio State University's (OSU) College of Nursing has been formally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The OSU MCR is only the third academic institution with a program in the area of clinical research to receive formal accreditation. The OSU MCR is only the second graduate degree program in the United States to earn this accreditation. As the profession of clinical research continues to mature, formal academic program accreditation is becoming the criterion for quality in the preparation of tomorrow’s workforce.
The OSU accreditation team included CoAPCR individual members, Dr. Carolynn Jones (Director of the MCR, OSU) and Jessica Fritter (Clinical Instructor). For further details on this outstanding accomplishment by CoAPCR member, OSU, please go to this recent announcement and the following statement from CAAHEP.
The Clinical Research program at The Ohio State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (http://www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CAAPCR).
Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CAAPCR), the Clinical Trials Associate Program at Durham Technical Community College based on Durham, North Carolina has been formally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). This is only the second academic institution that offers a program in the area of clinical research to receive formal accreditation. As the profession of clinical research continues to mature, formal academic program accreditation is becoming the criterion for quality in the preparation of tomorrow’s workforce.
First Academic Program in Clinical Research Accredited
At its board meeting in September 2018, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) voted unanimously to fully accredit the Arizona State University (ASU) Clinical Research Management Programs. This is a major step forward in the recognition of Clinical Research as an academic discipline. CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation in the US and internationally. ASU provided, in a self-study report followed by a site visit, documentation that its Master’s level programs in Clinical Research Management, Clinical Research Management with Regulatory Science Concentration, and its Certificate Program in Clinical Research Management had met all of the standards required by the Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CAAPCR). The curriculum component of the accreditation standards is based upon the Harmonized Core Competency Framework from the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency. CAAPCR is sponsored by the Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research and there are currently 7 additional academic programs in clinical research that have requested accreditation reviews. For further information on the accreditation process and CAAPCR, please review the CAAPCR website or contact Stephen Sonstein, PhD; Chair, Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research at caapcr@gmail.com.
The Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency (JTF) invites public comment on the Draft Version 2.0 of the Harmonized Core Competency Framework. The decision to update the Framework is indicative of the JTF’s commitment to meeting the needs of clinical researchers globally. More than that, the decision recognizes the diversity of experiences across the clinical research community. Public comment by June 30, 2017 extended to July 31, 2017.
Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CAAPCR) now has an information page available on the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) website. Information on CAAPCR including governance and accreditation is available.
New Standards for Accreditation Advance Professionalization of Clinical Research (Michael Causey, ACRP Blog, February 7, 2017)
Update on the work of CoAPCR member Stephen Sonstein's work on accredidation for academic programs in clinical research. According to the ACRP blog post: "Clinical research is taking another step toward professionalization with the anticipated approval of new “Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research” by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), says Stephen A. Sonstein, PhD, professor and director of clinical research administration at Eastern Michigan University."
Survey Highlights Growing CRA Workforce Shortage (Michael Causey, ACRP Blog, December 13, 2016)
"Turnover rates in the clinical trial workforce continue to eclipse the 25% mark despite an average 7% salary spike, according to the 18th annual CRO Industry Global Compensation and Turnover Survey, conducted by HR+Survey Solutions, LLC. “I’m not surprised by these numbers,” says ACRP Workforce Innovation Officer Terri Hinkley, RN, BScN, MBA, CCRC, FACRP."
ACRP to Release First Ever Harmonized Core Competency Framework for Clinical Trial Monitors (ACRP Press Releases, November 28, 2016)
The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) today announces plans to release a harmonized Core Competency Framework for Clinical Research Associates (CRAs) in December that for the first time ever will define the core competencies required of clinical trial monitors/CRAs within the eight core competence domains for clinical research professionals, as defined by the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competence (Learn More about the JTF).