Recruitment strategy and ethics
4 lessons Β· 3 hours
From the moment a potential participant is identified to the moment they complete their last study visit, the CRC is the primary point of contact, the operational engine, and often the participant's most trusted connection to the research enterprise. This course covers the full participant lifecycle: recruitment strategy, pre-screening, screening visit execution, enrollment, visit management, investigational product accountability, protocol deviation management, participant retention, and the complex situations that arise when participants want to withdraw or are lost to follow-up. IP accountability is integrated here because it is inseparable from visit execution β you cannot manage participants without managing the products they receive.
Develop recruitment strategies that are ethical, effective, and compliant with IRB-approved materials and methods
Execute screening visits that accurately assess eligibility against all protocol inclusion and exclusion criteria
Manage the complete participant visit lifecycle including scheduling, preparation, execution, and follow-up
Implement investigational product accountability procedures including receipt, storage, dispensing, reconciliation, and return
Identify, document, and report protocol deviations with appropriate root cause analysis and corrective action
Apply retention strategies and manage participant withdrawals, discontinuations, and loss to follow-up per ICH E6(R3) Annex 1, Section 2.9
8 modules, 32 lessons, and 8 knowledge checks β all self-paced.
Select any lesson to preview β lessons marked Preview are free to read in full.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours
Enroll in the Clinical Research Coordinator track to access this course, all exams, and your certificate.
From the moment a potential participant is identified to the moment they complete their last study visit, the CRC is the primary point of contact, the operational engine, and often the participant's most trusted connection to the research enterprise. This course covers the full participant lifecycle: recruitment strategy, pre-screening, screening visit execution, enrollment, visit management, investigational product accountability, protocol deviation management, participant retention, and the complex situations that arise when participants want to withdraw or are lost to follow-up. IP accountability is integrated here because it is inseparable from visit execution β you cannot manage participants without managing the products they receive.
Develop recruitment strategies that are ethical, effective, and compliant with IRB-approved materials and methods
Execute screening visits that accurately assess eligibility against all protocol inclusion and exclusion criteria
Manage the complete participant visit lifecycle including scheduling, preparation, execution, and follow-up
Implement investigational product accountability procedures including receipt, storage, dispensing, reconciliation, and return
Identify, document, and report protocol deviations with appropriate root cause analysis and corrective action
Apply retention strategies and manage participant withdrawals, discontinuations, and loss to follow-up per ICH E6(R3) Annex 1, Section 2.9
8 modules, 32 lessons, and 8 knowledge checks β all self-paced.
Select any lesson to preview β lessons marked Preview are free to read in full.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours
Enroll in the Clinical Research Coordinator track to access this course, all exams, and your certificate.
This course is part of the Clinical Research Coordinator track. Enroll once to access all courses and exams.


Learn which recruitment materials require IRB approval, how to apply evaluation criteria, and how to avoid common compliance pitfalls including social media challenges.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Apply HIPAA preparatory to research provisions and systematic chart review methodology to efficiently identify potentially eligible participants.

Develop structured telephone pre-screening scripts, navigate scope boundaries between pre-screening and consent, and handle common caller challenges.

Translate eligibility criteria into EHR queries, manage false positives, leverage research registries, and apply data governance principles for population-level participant identification.

Design and maintain a pre-screening log as an essential record, calculate recruitment funnel metrics, and prepare sponsor-ready pipeline reports.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Map the complete screening visit workflow, coordinate logistics across departments, verify consent as the gateway step, and adapt in real time when complications arise.

Execute screening procedures with protocol precision, apply ALCOA documentation principles, and prevent common procedural deviations during vitals, ECGs, labs, and questionnaires.

Verify eligibility criteria systematically, navigate borderline cases with investigator adjudication, and document determinations with source-referenced evidence.

Document screen failures properly, conduct sensitive participant conversations, evaluate rescreening eligibility, and use failure data to improve recruitment targeting.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Verify consent currency, re-confirm eligibility within validity windows, obtain investigator sign-off, and understand the regulatory weight of the enrollment decision.

Operate IVRS/IWRS systems for randomization and treatment assignment, handle connectivity failures and errors, maintain blinding integrity, and document every transaction step.

Complete enrollment documentation across source records, enrollment logs, EDC systems, and sponsor reporting with accuracy and regulatory compliance.

Track enrollment velocity against targets, prepare data-driven sponsor communications, adjust recruitment strategies based on pipeline analysis, and manage enrollment pressure ethically.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Calculate visit windows, manage scheduling conflicts proactively, communicate with participants about visit requirements, and handle inevitable out-of-window situations.

Build protocol-specific visit checklists, verify equipment readiness, prepare supplies, coordinate with ancillary departments, and review participant history before each visit.

Execute visit procedures in correct sequence, document contemporaneously, manage participant experience, handle visit-day complications, and identify deviations in real time.

Review visit results systematically, communicate findings with investigator guidance, resolve data queries, and prepare for the next visit in the continuous care cycle.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Execute investigational product receipt, verification, and storage procedures per ICH E6(R3), establish the IP inventory log, and maintain cold chain integrity.

Verify and dispense investigational product correctly, provide clear participant instructions, assess compliance using multiple methods, and manage non-compliance constructively.

Maintain the IP accountability log, perform reconciliation at defined intervals, prepare for monitoring visits, and manage IP return and destruction procedures.

Respond to temperature excursions with proper quarantine procedures, manage expiration proactively with FEFO, and classify and document IP handling deviations.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Define protocol deviations, classify by severity using safety and data integrity criteria, navigate gray areas with CTQ factor analysis, and determine reporting pathways.

Develop protocol awareness for real-time deviation recognition during visits, implement systematic retrospective review processes, and assess immediate action requirements.

Document deviations with required elements, assess impact on safety and data integrity, conduct root cause analysis using 5-Whys methodology, and submit reports through required channels.

Design CAPA plans that target root causes, implement corrective and preventive actions with accountability, and monitor effectiveness to prevent deviation recurrence.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Implement evidence-based retention strategies addressing specific dropout predictors while maintaining the ethical boundary between supportive participation and undue influence.

Manage participant withdrawal requests with respect for autonomy per ICH E6(R3) Section 2.9, navigate data retention discussions, and complete all required documentation.

Distinguish intervention discontinuation from study withdrawal and loss to follow-up, apply correct procedures for each status, and understand the data collection implications.

Document contact attempts systematically, determine when to classify participants as lost to follow-up, navigate the ethical boundary of persistent contact, and manage data quality implications.
This course is part of the Clinical Research Coordinator track. Enroll once to access all courses and exams.


Learn which recruitment materials require IRB approval, how to apply evaluation criteria, and how to avoid common compliance pitfalls including social media challenges.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Apply HIPAA preparatory to research provisions and systematic chart review methodology to efficiently identify potentially eligible participants.

Develop structured telephone pre-screening scripts, navigate scope boundaries between pre-screening and consent, and handle common caller challenges.

Translate eligibility criteria into EHR queries, manage false positives, leverage research registries, and apply data governance principles for population-level participant identification.

Design and maintain a pre-screening log as an essential record, calculate recruitment funnel metrics, and prepare sponsor-ready pipeline reports.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Map the complete screening visit workflow, coordinate logistics across departments, verify consent as the gateway step, and adapt in real time when complications arise.

Execute screening procedures with protocol precision, apply ALCOA documentation principles, and prevent common procedural deviations during vitals, ECGs, labs, and questionnaires.

Verify eligibility criteria systematically, navigate borderline cases with investigator adjudication, and document determinations with source-referenced evidence.

Document screen failures properly, conduct sensitive participant conversations, evaluate rescreening eligibility, and use failure data to improve recruitment targeting.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Verify consent currency, re-confirm eligibility within validity windows, obtain investigator sign-off, and understand the regulatory weight of the enrollment decision.

Operate IVRS/IWRS systems for randomization and treatment assignment, handle connectivity failures and errors, maintain blinding integrity, and document every transaction step.

Complete enrollment documentation across source records, enrollment logs, EDC systems, and sponsor reporting with accuracy and regulatory compliance.

Track enrollment velocity against targets, prepare data-driven sponsor communications, adjust recruitment strategies based on pipeline analysis, and manage enrollment pressure ethically.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Calculate visit windows, manage scheduling conflicts proactively, communicate with participants about visit requirements, and handle inevitable out-of-window situations.

Build protocol-specific visit checklists, verify equipment readiness, prepare supplies, coordinate with ancillary departments, and review participant history before each visit.

Execute visit procedures in correct sequence, document contemporaneously, manage participant experience, handle visit-day complications, and identify deviations in real time.

Review visit results systematically, communicate findings with investigator guidance, resolve data queries, and prepare for the next visit in the continuous care cycle.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Execute investigational product receipt, verification, and storage procedures per ICH E6(R3), establish the IP inventory log, and maintain cold chain integrity.

Verify and dispense investigational product correctly, provide clear participant instructions, assess compliance using multiple methods, and manage non-compliance constructively.

Maintain the IP accountability log, perform reconciliation at defined intervals, prepare for monitoring visits, and manage IP return and destruction procedures.

Respond to temperature excursions with proper quarantine procedures, manage expiration proactively with FEFO, and classify and document IP handling deviations.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Define protocol deviations, classify by severity using safety and data integrity criteria, navigate gray areas with CTQ factor analysis, and determine reporting pathways.

Develop protocol awareness for real-time deviation recognition during visits, implement systematic retrospective review processes, and assess immediate action requirements.

Document deviations with required elements, assess impact on safety and data integrity, conduct root cause analysis using 5-Whys methodology, and submit reports through required channels.

Design CAPA plans that target root causes, implement corrective and preventive actions with accountability, and monitor effectiveness to prevent deviation recurrence.
4 lessons Β· 3 hours

Implement evidence-based retention strategies addressing specific dropout predictors while maintaining the ethical boundary between supportive participation and undue influence.

Manage participant withdrawal requests with respect for autonomy per ICH E6(R3) Section 2.9, navigate data retention discussions, and complete all required documentation.

Distinguish intervention discontinuation from study withdrawal and loss to follow-up, apply correct procedures for each status, and understand the data collection implications.

Document contact attempts systematically, determine when to classify participants as lost to follow-up, navigate the ethical boundary of persistent contact, and manage data quality implications.