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SOCRA 2024 Year in Review & What to Expect in 2025

As 2024 comes to a close, we celebrate another successful year of growth, collaboration, and education within the clinical research community. Join us in reflecting on this year’s milestones and looking ahead to the opportunities that 2025 will bring!

SOCRA 2024 Year in Review

In 2024, we continued our mission of providing accessible education, certification, and resources for clinical research professionals across the globe.

Certification Program: The Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP®) exam remains accessible through paper-and-pencil testing and computer-based testing, including home proctoring. These options allow candidates flexibility and convenience as they pursue certification. Learn more about the certification program here.
SOCRA Source Journal: The SOCRA Source journal is now available quarterly both electronically and in print, ensuring members can access its valuable content in their preferred format.
Membership Growth: SOCRA now proudly represents over 15,000 members and more than 11,000 certified professionals across 58 countries.
Educational Programs: This year, we hosted over 40 live educational programs in both virtual and in-person formats. We visited cities including Philadelphia, New Orleans, Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Diego, reaching over 3,000 members through these programs.
Chapter Engagement: With more than 65 active chapters worldwide, our Chapter Program reached over 11,000 members in 2024, offering localized and accessible educational opportunities.
Expanded Reach: Our email blasts connected us with over 55,000 research professionals, while social media outreach engaged an audience of more than 37,000.

Annual Conference Success
The 2024 Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV, was a highlight of the year, offering eight educational tracks, preconference workshops, a peer-driven poster session, and opportunities for networking. With dynamic programming and record attendance, it showcased the best of our community’s innovation and collaboration. Read more about our 2024 milestones in the SOCRA Annual Report here.

What to Expect in 2025

The year ahead promises continued growth and innovation, with a mix of virtual and in-person programming designed to meet the evolving needs of clinical research professionals.

2025 Annual Conference

Mark your calendars! The 2025 SOCRA Annual Conference will take place September 26-28, 2025, in Chicago, IL, at the Hyatt Regency. This premier event will feature diverse educational tracks, networking opportunities, and a chance to connect with colleagues worldwide.

Educational Offerings

SOCRA is committed to offering a variety of learning formats to accommodate busy professionals:

Live Webinars: Expand your knowledge from the comfort of your home or office.
In-Person Conferences: Join us for interactive sessions across the United States and Canada, including topics like GCP, FDA regulations, decentralized clinical trials, oncology trials, and pediatric clinical research.

Visit our Events Calendar here for details.

More Ways to Get Involved

Beyond conferences and webinars, there are plenty of opportunities to engage with SOCRA in 2025:

Chapter Program: Find or start a local chapter to connect with colleagues and earn CE credit.
Clinical Trials Day: Celebrate May 20, 2025, by recognizing clinical research professionals worldwide.
Speaking Opportunities: Share your expertise at the 2026 Annual Conference by submitting an abstract by July 31, 2025.
Publishing Opportunities: Submit your articles to the SOCRA Source journal or SOCRA blog to contribute to the field of clinical research.

Learn about all the ways you can volunteer and get involved here.

We’re excited for what’s ahead and invite you to join us as we continue to learn, connect, and grow together. Visit our website to learn how to become a SOCRA member and take advantage of the many benefits we offer. Contact our team or call 423.424.2814 to get started today!

REDCap Project Building: A Tool for the Distribution and Management of Research Surveys and Databases

Emily Navarreto, BS

Clinical Research Coordinator

Thomas Jefferson University

Abstract: REDCap is a secure web application that was designed for building and managing online surveys and databases. This article focuses on the many benefits of REDCap for collecting research data. Topics covered include how to build a project, survey distribution, exporting data securely, and analyzing results. The variety of projects that can be built on the platform and how to effectively manage both individual and mass data collection are highlighted.

Continue reading REDCap Project Building: A Tool for the Distribution and Management of Research Surveys and Databases →

The Crucial Skills That All CRAs (Monitors) Need

AGA Finlayson, MA, MSc

Found and Director

White Wisteria Academy

Abstract: In the heavily regulated world of clinical research, clinical research associates (CRAs) are generally receiving all of the training in hard skills that they need to understand their role. What is often missing is training in the soft skills that will help them deal with the demands of the job, increase each CRA’s job satisfaction, and reduce churn (staff turnover), while allowing CRAs to have a healthy work-life balance. Examples of crucial soft skills include assertiveness, listening, and task efficiency. This article describes two pictures of a CRA’s life: one without these soft skills and one with soft skills training. This will illustrate the importance of paying attention to soft skills and offering CRAs appropriate training in soft skills along with training in hard skills.

Continue reading The Crucial Skills That All CRAs (Monitors) Need →

Finding Success and Belonging at the SOCRA Annual Conference: A First Time Attendee’s Experience

Holly Crandall

BSN, RN, CCRP

Indiana University School of Medicine

This time last year, I was unsure if traveling to Montreal for the SOCRA Annual Conference would be a worthwhile investment in my career. As a research nurse, I’ve attended several conferences specific to my clinical field, which provided valuable knowledge about the disease states I work with. However, the SOCRA Annual Conference was different. It offered new tools and ways of thinking about my daily work. Entering a poster into the Poster Program also gave me a greater sense of involvement. I left energized by the passion of the other participants and excited for this year’s conference in Las Vegas.

Continue reading Finding Success and Belonging at the SOCRA Annual Conference: A First Time Attendee’s Experience →

Strategies to Promote Inclusion and Decrease Language Barriers in Spanish Speaking Participants

Ariana Berrios, EMT, Thomas Jefferson University

Emily Navarreto, BS

Thomas Jefferson University

Nancy A. Wintering, LCSW, CCRP

Thomas Jefferson University

Abstract: This paper was developed from our discussions about inclusion of non-English speakers in clinical research. We presented a poster on this topic at the 2022 SOCRA Annual Conference. We believe that Spanish-speaking individuals are often excluded from clinical research studies because of language barriers. While some language services have been established for clinical use, those services are often unavailable and are generally not standardized for clinical research purposes. This paper calls attention to current language barriers and provides an overview of the shortcomings of Spanish language services in clinical research. The authors propose strategies to promote research that is inclusive of Spanish-speaking participants. While the emphasis of this paper is focused on improving inclusion of Spanish-speaking participants in clinical research; the solutions we propose could be applied to other participants whose first language is not English.

Continue reading Strategies to Promote Inclusion and Decrease Language Barriers in Spanish Speaking Participants →

Creating a Professional Workplace

Barbara van der Schalie, MA

Senior Clinical Research Training Manager

Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate

Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Abstract: Professionalism is a key component of a dynamic, thriving workplace and a defining element of a productive workplace culture. As clinical research becomes more generationally diverse, professionalism standards are becoming less consistent. This article describes the changing concepts of professionalism, how it is judged, and how to optimize professionalism to benefit individuals and organizations.

Continue reading Creating a Professional Workplace →

Workforce Development Transformation and Implementation: The Critical Role of Leaders in Success

Erika Stevens, MA, FACRP

Faculty Lecturer

Rutgers Clinical Research Management

Principal

Recherche Transformation Rapide LLC

Liz Wool, FACRP, CCRA, CID, CMT

President

Wool Consulting Group, Inc.

Abstract: The role of leaders in successful implementation of a workforce development program is often overlooked. Notably, change management and the leader’s fluency in implementing change is necessary for success. This article describes the critical attributes for leaders to be able to manage and implement workforce development for their organizations, and for leveraging transformation management principles and practices for success.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial relationship(s) in connection with this article.

Continue reading Workforce Development Transformation and Implementation: The Critical Role of Leaders in Success →

Diverse Recruitment in Fast Enrolling Wearable Device Clinical Trials

Andrew Snyder

Director

Clinical Trials Office

M Health Fairview

Andrea Martinez

Community Partnership Manager

M Health Fairview

Contributors: Diane Tran, System Executive Director, Community Health Equity and Engagement, M Health Fairview and Katherine Grannon, Community Health Equity Impact Manager, M Health Fairview

Improving clinical trial diversity is an ethical, scientific, and clinical priority. Federal regulators, industry sponsors, the National Institute of Health (NIH), academic journals, investigators, coordinators, and physicians agree with the importance of ensuring diverse participation in medical research. Not only will racially diverse research studies validate trial results across the population, but they are also important in building trust in the results and subsequent therapeutic adoption of the studied investigational product. A recent experiment reported that giving African American/Black patients study results from a racially representative trial increased their belief that the drug would be effective for them by 20%, without altering white patients’ perception of the medication¹.

Continue reading Diverse Recruitment in Fast Enrolling Wearable Device Clinical Trials →

Celebrating Chapter Volunteers on Clinical Trials Day 2024

As Clinical Trials Day 2024 approaches on May 20, we’re spotlighting the incredible work of our SOCRA chapter volunteers. These individuals dedicate their time and expertise to advance clinical research and foster community connections within our SOCRA chapter program.

Continue reading Celebrating Chapter Volunteers on Clinical Trials Day 2024 →

17th Annual Device Research & Regulatory Conference: Navigating Innovation and Compliance

The 17th Annual Device Research & Regulatory Conference is just around the corner, and it promises to be an enlightening event for professionals in the medical device industry. Hosted in the vibrant city of Nashville, Tennessee, this premier device conference brings together experts, thought leaders, and practitioners to explore the latest advancements, challenges, and best practices in the field.

Continue reading 17th Annual Device Research & Regulatory Conference: Navigating Innovation and Compliance →