Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is an online classroom?
2. Do I have a live instructor?
3. Who are my classmates?
4. Who is my instructor?
5. What materials will I receive?
6. Can I take the class whenever I want?
7. Are there any pre-requisites?
8. What does the class cost?
9. How do I pay for the class?
   

1. What is an online classroom?

An online classroom involves an instructor and students from different geographic areas participating in a class at the same time.  NUCATS Online utilizes WebEx to bring an instructor and your classmates to your home or office. See a picture of WebEx below for reference.

Perhaps you’ve enrolled in a Webinar before… you log into a program and a presenter reviews a set of slides.  There may be dozens or even hundreds of others viewing the event.  There is a number to call for technical support, maybe a few poll questions and an opportunity to send questions at the end.  Your question may be answered…but may not be answered.  You may watch attentively or may check email, surf the Internet or your attention may wander to other projects.

This is not THAT kind of online experience.  NUCATS Online is designed to maximize interaction and learning.  You will have no more than 12 other participants in your class.  The content is designed to focus on ‘need to know’ clinical research content so you interact with your peers and apply the content during virtual class sessions. Prework is carefully designed so you will be ready to get the most out of each virtual class.

2. Do I have a live instructor?

Yes. Your instructor is live and online at the same time as the class. No portions or sections of the course are recorded.  You will interact with your instructor and other classmates throughout each class in exercises and discussions regarding each topic.

3. Who are my classmates?

Your classmates will consist of up to 12 individuals interested in clinical research or in becoming a clinical research coordinator. Some of your classmates may already have positions in clinical research and they need to ‘hit the ground running’. You interact with your peers and apply the content during online class sessions. Prework is carefully designed so you will be ready to get the most out of each online class.

4. Who is my instructor?

Your instructors are Paula Carney, PhD, RD or Annette Kinsella, RN, CCRC.  You may read more about them below.

Instructor:  Paula Carney, PhD, RD

I have over 20 years of experience in the fields of clinical research, public health and workforce training and development.  At Northwestern University (NU), I am responsible for education and career development through the NUCATS Institute.  Prior to joining NU, I managed online compliance training for Thomson Learning’s healthcare market and was Associate Professor of Public Health at the University of Tennessee, where I served as departmental IRB chair.  I received my BS from Loyola University’s Mundelein College, MS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and PhD from Wayne State University in Detroit.

Instructor:  Annette Kinsella, RN, CCRC

I am originally from Birmingham, England where I trained as a state registered nurse and state certified midwife. I came to the States in September 1978, first to Beaumont, Texas, then Richmond, Virginia and finally to Chicago in February, 1982 where I have made my home. My nursing background for the past 15 years was Emergency Nursing in 3 major trauma centers in Chicago. I have been doing clinical research for 12 years in various disease areas of study in both out-patient and in-patient settings for industry sponsored and investigator initiated studies. I have been the staff educator and trainer as well as a research coordinator for Northwestern Clinical and Translational Research Sciences (NUCATS) Institute since 2000, formerly Northwestern Center for Clinical Research (NCCR). I helped develop as well as teach a 3 day clinical research coordinator basic training course. I have been a certified clinical research coordinator since March 2001.

5. What materials will I receive?

You can login to NUCATS Online and select My Courses to view additional materials associated with the course which include all your prework, prework response sheets and access to the slides or other handout materials.

6. Can I take the class whenever I want?

No.  Courses are scheduled for two hours per week over four weeks and meet as specific times as a live class would. For a complete schedule of  upcoming classes, click here.

7. Are there any prerequisites?

Yes. In order to sign up for CRC Basic Online you need to complete the 30 minute course, Introduction to Online Learning.  Introduction to Online Learning assures you know how to use the tools and techniques in the online classroom to make CRC Basic Online a productive course for you.  In addition, prior to each class you will be expected to complete prework. Prework is carefully designed so you will be ready to get the most out of each virtual class.

8. What does the class cost?

     $499.

9. How do I pay for the class?

You can pay for the course via credit card on the NUCATS Online website at:       https://northwestern.prosperitylms.com/req/northwestern_student/index.cfm