As we dive into the new year, Parexel Academy has worked tirelessly to redesign and align our blockbuster program “Virtual Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Trial Management” with both the dynamic needs of our students and the ever-evolving trends within the industry. We spoke with Katherine Mary Marangio, Learning Program Consultant, to unveil the exciting changes that we will see this year.
Hey Katherine! We’re excited to chat about the new program. First, the program has a long name, don’t you think?
KM: Oh yes! In fact, the program often goes for the shorter “vPGC” nickname. Though we debated changing the name, we decided to keep the original name to maintain a sense of continuity with our past. The program has grown and changed a lot in the past decade, but still shares the same core concept.
Why have you decided to transform a program that is already widely recognized?
KM: Well, we decided to change it partially because it is so trusted by the industry! Offering a high-level and unique learning program means we must keep up with the fast-changing trends in the industry and the evolving needs of students and potential participants. We want to deliver the most innovative and accessible learning program for clinical research professionals, whether they are veterans or aspiring newcomers!
Will the audience of the vPGC program remain the same?
KM: Absolutely! The vPGC program will still cater to professionals wishing to deepen their knowledge in clinical trial management, career movers interested in taking the first step into the industry, and recent graduates without work experience. Our audience is truly global, with participants from India to the US and from Sweden to South Africa. We have crafted this updated version of the program to cater to the unique needs of our diverse, multicultural audience. With the new learning structure and the highly engaging content, the vPGC will be even more accessible to all learning styles, ensuring inclusivity across the board. We understand that learning is a deeply personal and individualized journey, and our new program celebrates this truth by offering a range of tailored approaches to unleash your full potential.
What are the biggest changes made to the program and how will it impact learners?
KM: Well, the redesign has touched every single facet of the program, but the greatest impact will come from the meticulous redesign of each module. Our Instructional Designers worked hard to create new, interactive, and engaging learning content. The first time I saw some of the new modules, I was honestly speechless. Our old program was great, but this new stuff absolutely blows the old vPGC out of the water! They put together different technologies and creative ideas to deliver the best learning experience for our students.
You mentioned that the redesign touched all the features of the program, can you tell us something more?
KM: We worked on every single detail. We spent many hours consulting with our experts and decided that changing the format to be more self-paced was not enough to reach our goal. For example, we prolonged the duration of the program, from 5 to 6 months, to give the participants a more adequate timeline to complete all the required activities. We have also developed a new format for the live session with our industry experts, to give our students a more interactive and operational experience. There is also a new module, about the core professional competencies, to provide the students with powerful insights to careers in Clinical Research and provides students with foundational career coaching on how to apply and land a job in the industry.
Who did you work with to give birth to this updated version of the program?
KM: I worked with some incredible professionals, such as the instructional designers of Parexel Academy: Michelle Velazquez Ganim, Lucia Falco, and Marcelo Sequera. They did most of the job! When you see this new content, you’ll understand how crucial they were to the success of this new program. But we have also worked closely with Parexel subject matter experts such as Sanja Slovakovic, Maria-Cristina Ceriana, and about a dozen others to ensure that all current trends and the most accurate information are reflected in the program.
Last question, can you share some more details about the program, for example how many programs will you have in 2024 and when they are launching?
KM: We are planning 4 cohorts of the program, the first one will be launched in April, then we will have one in June, one in September and one in December. Applications will open soon. We also hosted a free informative session in February to present the new program and answer all the questions that potential participants might have. Stay tuned: we will share all information on our website and social media!
