Grand Rapids Clinical Oncology Program (GRCOP)
Grand Rapids, MI
Ms. Connie Szczepanek is the Director of the Cancer Research Consortium of West Michigan (CRCWM), a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). She has worked as a urology nurse, oncology nurse, and research nurse.
Ms. Szczepanek is active in the cancer prevention arena of cancer research, as well as an active participant in multiple community groups and projects to further facilitate cancer awareness, clinical trials education, promote screening, and link people to needed services.
Ms. Szczepanek has participated in a wide variety of clinical research activities nationally, regionally and locally. She has served as an invited speaker at NCI and cooperative group meetings on a range of clinical trials related topics including Quality Assurance Programs, Investigational Drug Management and Linking Research to the Community. She also recently participated on the workgroup that redesigned the NCI Informed Consent Template, now in use.
Ms. Szczepanek notes that one of the highlights of her career has been starting the CRCWM Patient Advisory Committee in 2008 which advises the CRCWM Leadership, Teams, and Executive Boards.