Workshop Series

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Offered monthly, the Research Professionals Network holds a series of peer-led, collaborative workshops. These workshops are focused on topics relevant to research professional staff and are based on the MRCT Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency Framework. Each workshop is led and presented by staff at the collaborating institutions and affiliates and are supported by the Leadership Team.

The workshop series is an inter-institutional effort between four academic institutions and their affiliates with a Leadership Team composed of individuals from each organization. 

Affiliation with one of the collaborating institutions is required and is confirmed through the use of an institutional email on registration. Information about affiliation and to join your institution’s local RPN, please reach out to the listed institutional contact above. 

Research staff at Boston University Medical Campus, Boston Medical Center, or its network affiliates can join their local RPN by completing this form. Questions about the BUMC/BMC local network can be addressed to the CRRO. Research staff at any other institution should reach out to the listed institutional contact above. 

All previous workshop recordings and slides are available in our Workshop Library.

Suggestions for future workshops are always welcome and can be submitted by completing our Training and Education Recommendation Form.

Since the workshops began in 2017, several publications have been written or presented on the RPN Workshops. A full reference list with links as applicable are available in our Publications Library.

Contact Hours
All RPN Workshop attendees will receive nursing contact hours prorated based on confirmed actual attendance for each workshop. It is the attendee’s responsibility to ensure that their certification program accepts nursing contact hours. The RPN makes no guarantee of contact hours acceptance for any specific professional organization. All attendees will receive contact hours within 30 days of each workshop.

All questions about contact hours should be directed to the appropriate institutional contact listed above. 

Credit for this educational programming is provided by the University of Vermont. In support of improving patient care, The Robert Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Academic Year 2025-2026 Workshop Offerings – All Workshops are scheduled for 2:30-4:00pm
Check back often as information is continuously updated when topics and presenters are confirmed. Registration forms are available by clicking on the title for each seminar. Pre-registration is required and a work email must be used to register. Registration closes 24 hours prior to each workshop.

        Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 2:30-4:00pm – Mastering ICH Good Clinical Practice E6(R3) Compliance: Patient Safety, Site Oversight, and Audit-Ready Practices

        Speakers:

        • Erica Ellington, MS, CRA, CHRC, CHPC, CCEP – Deputy Director of Compliance and Research Compliance Officer, MUSC
        • Rebekah Whichard, BA – IRB Administrator for Education and Training, MUSC
        • Marlin Mejia, BS – Research Coordinator III, UF

        JTF Competencies: 4,5,7

        Level: Fundamental

        Objectives:

        1. Explain how the updated ICH Good Clinical Practice Guidance E6(R3) directs Institutional Review Board (IRB) responsibilities for human subject protections.
        2. Implement ICH GCP E6(R3) principles to ensure ethical oversight, risk proportionate review, and participant-centered safeguards in clinical research.

        Workshop Overview:

        This interactive workshop will provide a practical overview of key ICH E6(R3) updates with a central focus on human subject protections. The content will be presented through three complementary perspectives including the IRB, the study coordinator, and the compliance auditor, to help research professionals understand how new expectations translate into real‑world oversight. Designed for professionals new to or seeking a refresher on E6(R3), this session will highlight foundational principles, common compliance considerations, and practical audit‑readiness strategies to support participant safety, strengthen compliance, and reduce inspection findings.


        Workshop Level Definitions*
        Fundamental:         Considered a basic or introductory level. Workshop will include a focus on the basic elements of the topic but might briefly build on more in-depth skills. Individuals at this level are considered to be performing or understanding at an essential or fundamental level. Individuals may require some coaching or supervision for topic-associated task completion.

        Skilled: Assumes the audience already has some fundamental knowledge of topic.  Workshop could include a brief review of the basic elements of the topic and build upon that review. Individuals at this level are considered to be performing or understanding roles and tasks independently with a moderate level of expertise of the topic. Individuals are able to independently navigate topic-associated resources and use tools well.

        Advanced: Assumes the audience already has some intermediate knowledge of topic. Workshop could include a brief review of the basic elements of the topic but will focus on a more in-depth review of the topic. Individuals at this level are considered to be demonstrating advanced skills and knowledge with the ability to teach, coach, or supervise others. Individuals consistently apply topic-associated critical thinking and problem solving.

        Questions about any of the above information? Contact us!