Carolynn came to Ohio State in 2014 as a clinical assistant professor to help develop the Master of Applied Clinical and Preclinical Research (MACPR) / Master of Clinical Research (MCR) program, and she’s been a driving force in clinical research education ever since. She was invited to join the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) to lead CRP workforce development efforts, later becoming director of the MCR program and eventually earning a promotion to clinical professor in the College of Nursing.
Carolynn’s journey defining core competencies for clinical research professionals began in 2010. After conducting a needs assessment, she brought together groups from the UK, the Oncology Nursing Society, NIH Clinical Center, IACRN, ACRP, and the Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CoAPCR). That collaboration led to the formation of the Joint Task Force (JTF) for Clinical Research Competencies and a landmark publication in 2014. Around the same time, she worked with other CRP program directors and leaders through an NCATS challenge grant to define professional competencies, work that led to the creation of the CRP Task Force, which has since grown into a recognized Special Interest Group within ACTS.
A standout achievement in Carolynn’s career has been the launch of the “Crucial Conversations Unmeeting,” a pivotal initiative born from her engagement with ACRP and their interest in understanding the unique needs of CRPs in academic institutions. Originally planned as an in-person event including the CRPT SIG (ACTS), it shifted online during the pandemic and sparked a series of important publications. These conversations tackled real-world challenges like CRP retention, job satisfaction, benchmarking and career development, leading to the formation of working groups and the creation of sharable toolkits across institutions.
Carolynn’s passion for mentorship, collaboration and making CRP roles more visible continues to inspire. She’s known for encouraging others to turn ideas into action. As one colleague put it, “She’s always pushing,” and Carolynn herself is quick to say, “That would make a great topic, a possible publication!”
Please join us in congratulating Carolynn on this outstanding award. Her vision and leadership are shaping the future of CRP workforce development, one conversation at a time.
Julie Johnson, PharmD, is the Director and Principal Investigator at The Ohio State University Clinical and Translational Science Institute.