CREW Program

UMMC, in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic and Pennsylvania State University, has created the Clinical Research Education for the Workforce (CREW) program. More information about the program can be found below.

What is CREW?

Modeled after Mayo Clinic’s training program, CREW is UMMC’s first institutional training and development program specifically for employees serving as Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs), regardless of title. The 40-hour, certificate program includes 24 hours of foundational, online training and 2 full-day, in-person, educational sessions.

Made possible by NIH grant 3UL1TR002014-03S2, the program is free to all UMMC faculty and staff and features:

• An overview of clinical research processes and study protocols;
• Training on screening, consenting and recruitment;
• Information on IRB and Ancillary Committee submission and reviews;
• Regulatory requirements;
• Good Clinical Practice;
• UMMC-specific procedures and requirements;
• Teamwork and communication; and
• Pathways to career growth.

Registrants should first complete the pre-test in HealthStream, followed by the online course components, which must be completed prior to the in-person component. After the in-person component, a post-test is required.

Pre-test and online course information

Please send an email to the Office of Clinical Trials at clinicaltrials@umc.edu to notify of your interest in participating in the CREW certification program.

Participants may self enroll in the CREW certification course via Healthstream. In Healthstream, please search for Clinical Research Education for the Workforce (CREW) and the online curriculum will appear. 

Participants must complete all required online courses ten (10) days prior to attending the classroom session. This includes: all applicable Healthstream and CITI courses. An online course listing can be found below:

Who should participate in CREW?

All faculty and staff interested in expanding their clinical research knowledge are welcome to attend.

• New employees functioning as Cclinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) - those working directly with research participants or supporting clinical research studies through data entry, data management, or regulatory support - will be required to complete the program within3 months of hire or during the first available session. “New” employees shall be defined as those joining UMMC since Jan. 1, 2019, or who began in a CRC role at UMMC since that time.
• Current employees functioning as CRCs, regardless of title, are required to complete the program by September 2020. Current employees, however, may request an exemption if they have CCRP or CCRC certification, OR receive a passing score on the CREW competency test. Waivers will not be granted for employees new to the CRC role at UMMC.

When and where is CREW available?

The online portion of the program is accessible via HealthStream as outlined above. The virtual component will be hosted bi-annually. Registration and Enrollment should be completed via Redcap. The classroom portion of the program will be held each year on the first Wednesday and Thursday, of May and December:

• May 1 & May 2, 2024 
• December 4 & December 5, 2024

For CREW questions, email clinicaltrials@umc.edu or call (601) 815-5007.