Our Japanese colleagues have published the Joint Task Force Core Competency Framework in the Japanese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2020;51(3):131-150). This publication in the Japanese language helps extend the integration of the Framework to clinical research professionals in Japan.

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) announces a pilot project designed to assess the competency of entry-level clinical research professionals, ACRP’s hypothesis is that new graduates from academic programs in clinical research will pass the ACRP-CP exam at equal or higher rates than individuals with a minimum of 2 years’ experience in clinical research. If proven true, then providing graduating students access to an ACRP-CP certification exam will enable the further demonstration of their knowledge and competency thereby enhancing a hiring organization’s confidence in recruiting, training, and retaining these new graduates as valuable members of their research teams. The Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research has been working for some time with ACRP to develop this program.  Three institutions are participating in the program, Campbell University, University of North Carolina Wilmington and Durham Technical Community College.

A recent publication reports that investigators from the Clinical and Translational Science Award based DIAMOND project have developed and tested indices which may be used to evaluate the self-assessed competency of clinical research coordinators.  The two indices, CICRP-I (basic level) and CICRP-II (advanced level) were developed using data selected from the JTF Global Self-Assessment of Clinical Research Competency.  The CICRP-II assessment was administered to 95 clinical research coordinators working in one of 4 CTSA funded academic health centers in an effort to accumulate data which could be used to confirm the validity of the instrument and compare the results to similar assessments which were published by the JTF that self-assessed the competency of a variety of members of the global clinical research enterprise.

A recent publication by faculty from the University of Georgia and Emory University described a study of how the JTF Core Competency Domains are perceived by clinical research coordinators as relates to their career orientation and career satisfaction.   Different aspects of the role of clinical research coordinator define certain career orientation types.  Four different types were identified utilizing a web-based survey.  The conclusion of the study was that “understanding the career orientation of CRC’s can be helpful to institutional administrators and clinical investigators as they support professional development and training of CRC’s.

ACRP’s Workforce Innovation Officer, Beth Harper, recently addressed the Clinical and Translational Science Network Professional Taskforce and discussed Competency Based Career Progression. The presentation discussed the evolution of competency based hiring, retention and career progression and stressed the need for standards and the value of professional certification for the clinical research workforce and highlighted the contributions of the Joint Taskforce for Clinical Trial Competency. Her presentation slides are attached.

Click here to view the presentation slides.

On November 6, 2018, Beth Harper, Workforce Innovation Officer for the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, hosted a webinar which was sponsored by Forte Research Systems, Inc of Madison, Wisconsin.  The webinar overviewed the development of the JTF Core Competency Framework and the impact that it was having on clinical research staff hiring, training and upward mobility.  — As of 2019, Forte has merged and is now part of Advarra.