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In May of 2019, I sat for the CRA exam for the fifth time. Yes, you read that correctly for the fifth time. My journey to conquer this obstacle began in 2016. Each time missing the mark by 10, 5, 3 or 2 points, and finally passing it by 1 point this year. The importance of sitting for the CRA Exam begins with why. Each research administrator has their own tale about how they ended up in this field. We did not wake up one day at five years old and say, “Hey mom I’m going to be a research administrator when I grow up!” You would have likely received the same confused look you get now when someone asks what you do for a living. Few know what we do, and even less know why we do it. We know why we do it, and sitting for the CRA is the result of the reason why.

Becoming a Certified Research Administrator and having that certificate to hang in your workspace means what we do is real. The career with no formal BA program and a few newborn Masters Programs across the US. Research Administration is a field that expands deeper than we think or give ourselves credit for. Having the CRA credential means you fully understand what a sponsored project means for the institution, the PI, for the expansion of research, but most importantly how the outcome of that research will benefit society and its people. The good ole’ taxpayer, without whom we would not all be doing what we do and why we do it. We are the gatekeepers for it all. For the budgets that hire, purchase the equipment, pay the patients, and help the researchers travel the world to spread the knowledge gained. For the red tape that they insist, we wrap them in, for the intellectual property rights that we ensure stay with our researchers. For the patents, publications, and groundbreaking clinical trials that all started as an RFA, SF424 package, and us collecting all the pieces, redoing all the margins, and correcting their typos from the 3 am all-nighters they pulled to get it done. The CRA is the mark we rightfully earn from being the behind the scenes silent partners that get no bragging rights. The CRA credential is our citation, branding, trial by fire, and fly by the seat of your pants until it all makes sense one day. It is not a fancy title, yet brings more bragging rights than a PhD from an Ivy League. “Now you have a guaranteed job anywhere you want”, my supervisor said when he saw my certificate hanging in my cube. The CRA creates endless opportunity.

Passing the CRA says I answered 250 questions that covered every aspect of sponsored projects research and proves this silent partner job is real. Branding yourself with the CRA credential says I understand pre-award, post-award, research compliance, and federal public policy. I can recite export controls mandates by heart (ok maybe just the embargoed countries list). I can create and manage a million dollar budgets. I can dissect an RFA and explain it to my PI without an anxiety attack on both ends, I ensure the animals and humans on all projects, are treated appropriately, and everyone is paid on time. The CRA is more than just a multiple-choice exam. It is the mark of diligence, long hours, determination, and happiness shared from an Early Stage Investigator who lands their first grant you helped to prepare, or a non-profit being able to help build new homeless shelters. For the research, administrators who sit in local city and federal positions that ensure the taxpayer's funds are not misused on government-sponsored programs. It is for the team of silent partners doing more than just pushing papers, and building applications to send out the door. You become a mentor to your peers and make this whole journey a little less scary. The importance of investing the time to sit for the CRA will make sense soon as you hang that certificate and add those three letters to the end of your last name.