GSK Wins Title in First Ever US Clinical Researcher Competition

LONDON, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- An employee from GlaxoSmithKline was amongst the winners in the first ever competency-based competition in the United States to recognise the country's top clinical research associates, study managers and research coordinators.

Jennifer Luevano of GSK was named top Experienced CRA at the finals and awards on 29 April in Philadelphia of the first ever US Clinical Researcher of the Year competition. Other competition winners included Vicky Leamy of i3, who scooped first place in the Project Manager category, Jennifer Worrell of Kforce/Pfizer in the New CRA category and Olivier Payton of Benchmark Research in the Clinical Research Coordinator category.

The US Clinical Researcher of the Year competition, was launched in 2009 to raise the profile and importance of clinical research in the US by recognising outstanding individuals, and is the first initiative of its kind to test candidates on clinical research competencies.

With no preparation prior to the finals day, finalists were set a real-life clinical challenge and given one hour to prepare an action plan before presenting it to senior judges drawn from the ranks of the competition's Executive Steering Committee.  The evaluation committee included amongst others, Susan McHale, Executive Director Study Delivery at AstraZeneca and Andrea Proccacino, Business Unit Head of Training at Johnson & Johnson. Finalists were also judged on core competencies, such as knowledge of their role, individual leadership skills and customer focus.

Executive Committee member, Sean Morgan-Jones of PharmaTimes, the organisation behind the competition commented: "Clinical research in the US is under pressure from all sides.  Downward pressure on costs, increasing regulation and the growth in emerging markets, mean it is more important than ever to focus on the quality of the people working with investigators and patients to deliver better medicines'.

"This competition has demonstrated, beyond any doubt, the high levels of professionalism, integrity and drive for success that exist within the US clinical research fraternity. Everyone who took part in the competition should feel very proud."

Entries for the 2010/2011 US Clinical Researcher of the Year competition will open in June 2010. More details can be found at www.usclinicalresearcher.com.

SOURCE PharmaTimes