Grace College and OrthoWorx are pleased to announce a new, updated curriculum for the Master of Science in Orthopaedic Regulatory and Clinical Affairs (ORCA) program. The updated graduate program will be offered in an accelerated four-semester format beginning in January, 2018, at Grace’s Winona Lake campus.
After six years of successful operation and more than 100 graduates of ORCA, it was time to revise the program, according to Dr. Steve Grill, dean of community education at Grace College. “As regulations in the orthopaedic industry constantly change, ORCA must change with them,” he said. “We know that orthopaedic companies depend on ORCA graduates receiving the highest-quality, relevant education in the industry. We’re committed to living up to that reputation for the long haul.”
ORCA is the only master’s degree program of its type in the country. What makes it particularly unique and valuable to orthopaedic companies is Grace College’s partnership with industry catalyst OrthoWorx. Brad Bishop, executive director of OrthoWorx, was an integral advisor in developing ORCA’s new curriculum.
“The original ORCA program addressed a critical industry need to meet rapid changes in the regulatory environment and increases in the demand for clinical outcomes data,” Bishop said. “Those factors are still in place, so it was important that we pair industry experts with Grace College to keep ORCA responsive to the talent needs of our members.”
Bishop says the working group is very pleased with the end product and confident that the updates make an “even stronger” program.
“The new format follows the product lifecycle and will provide real-world applicability of concepts to better prepare students for a career in the industry,” he commented.
Paul Voorhorst, vice president of clinical research at DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction, served on the ORCA industry advisory group. “I am pleased with the new format of the ORCA program which follows the regulatory and clinical touch-points throughout the product lifecycle,” he said. “I think people who come out of the program will be well-suited for a role in regulatory or clinical affairs.”
Voorhorst went on, “the program is also an excellent development opportunity for individuals already in the industry. The global regulatory and health care environments are evolving rapidly, creating a greater demand for these skill sets, and the ORCA program is targeted at developing that talent,” he said.
The new ORCA curriculum will begin in January. Eligible students can earn a M.S. in Orthopaedic and Regulatory Affairs in four semesters. In the 2017-18 school year, ORCA classes will be taught at the Winona Lake campus on Tuesday evenings. For more information, visit our website or call 1-888-249-0533. Applications are available online.