Hello SCDM Community,

Q3 was a big one! The annual conference in Raleigh happened, CCDS officially launched, and we’ve got a brand-new Innovation Council to talk about. Take a read and see what exciting things are going on in the SCDM community.

SCDM Knowledge

Let’s start with GCDMP, because it has been a super productive summer. Project Management chapter has been published, new RB-CDM chapter has been added, and Edit Check Design, eSource, and Database Lock are all moving through revisions and finalization, with new chapters headed for public review soon. None of this happens on its own-it’s because of the teams of amazing volunteers all led by our Editorial Board. So, if you’ve ever wondered whether your comments on a GCDMP review go anywhere: they do and are much appreciated as we strive to keep the content and topics fresh and up to date.  

The other big one this quarter: there’s a new face leading JSCDM. Taking over is Sina Djali of Axcellion, who’s now JSCDM’s Chief Editor. Sina is already working hard with the GCDMP and educational team to take JSCDM to the next level in line with Vision 2030.   

SCDM Certification

If there’s one headline from certification this quarter, it’s this: CCDS is officially live. Ward Lemaire, the SCDM Chair, announced the formal launch right on stage in Raleigh – the finish line after a beta exam that pulled in 200+ participants and months of getting the psychometrics right. 

CCDS rounds out the certification path alongside both the CCDA and CCDM exams and it’s built for people whose jobs have already moved past traditional data management role. It expands the knowledge base and gives a certification for those who are looking for “what’s next”. Again-a huge thank you for the volunteers who made this happen!

SCDM Live

The annual conference in Raleigh was a smashing success! With over 1,200 attendees and the focus on Patients, Sites and Industry….the connecting factor was data. From the pre-conference workshops highlighting AI, Soft Skills and Regulatory requirements in submissions to the Leadership forum and exciting keynote from Michael Pencina around AIs promise and our responsibility to get it right – the atmosphere was purely electric. It was a time where brand new CDM’s were able to discuss important topics and hear from 20+year veterans about how our industry has evolved and continues to need to evolve. Regulators discussed the updates being made to support regulatory reviews of submissions and what this means to us. And the week capped off with some social events as well as a heart-wrenching but inspiring closing keynote from Lindsey Wahlstrom who told her daughter Rona’s story. Her story, as well as the ensuing panel discussion, taught us all to think about the patients and sites before we make a decision on a protocol. 

Innovation Council

One more thing from Raleigh I don’t want to skip past: Ward introduced the new Innovation Council. We’ve got the full factual rundown: charter, membership and scope.  

Why it matters 

The innovation council is a specialized group within SCDM dedicated to thought leadership and guiding the industry’s transition from traditional Clinical Data Management to Clinical Data Science. The goal of the council is to support Vision 2030 with white papers, presentations and opportunities to define the discipline of CDS, to support upskilling and encourage training on soft skills and supporting those in leadership roles. It is a critical need within our industry and SCDM is shaping the way.  

Overall, I am beyond excited at what our members and industry experts have done this year already and looking forward to what will be done between now and the end of the year. We have many more exciting events and milestones to share with you before the end of 2026.