April 15, 2024
Meet Carrie Burk
Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
Where are you from? 
I grew up in the small town of Roxana, Illinois, which is 30 minutes outside of St. Louis. Currently, I live in Edwardsville with my daughter, Elise, but will be moving to St. Louis after she leaves for college in the fall.
What brought you to Washington University Orthopedics?
I began working at WashU in 2000 and have coordinated research for several departments including Psychiatry, Oncology and Anesthesiology. Apart from moving overseas for 6-years to live in Southeast Asia, I have had the privilege of spending my entire career at WashU. During the pandemic, I decided to seek a more challenging environment to broaden my skills and applied for a position in orthopedics. Luckily, I was offered a coordinator role and this past February I celebrated 3 years with the department!
How do you support the department?
As the Senior Clinical Research Coordinator for the Float Team, I have the unique opportunity to support all services. I have worked closely with hand and microsurgery, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, trauma, spine, sports and oncology. While a large part of my role focuses on regulatory compliance, I also work as an internal monitor for active research studies. Internal monitoring of studies supports our PI’s and their teams by staying compliant with IRB policies which aids in keeping our research participants safe and produces high quality data of integrity.
What aspect of your work do you find most interesting and rewarding?
Working across services has allowed me to meet many surgeons in the department and to become familiar with the range of orthopedic procedures and research that is conducted. Surgery is fascinating to me and I find it interesting when surgeons take time to explain the details of their craft. Also, it’s very rewarding to be involved in a study from start to finish. There are a lot of moving parts in between protocol development and publication that contribute to the success of a research study. It can take years to see our work come to fruition but in the end, it’s gratifying to know we are contributing to society by discovering new therapies and treatments that can have a positive impact on the future of patient health.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? 
I enjoy exercising, traveling, listening to music, hosting dinner parties, and creating new cocktails – my spin on the French 75 was a hit this past New Year’s Eve!
What is the best advice you have ever received?
The best advice I have received comes from observing my mom throughout my life. She has taught me that speaking honestly and calmly is the most effective way to communicate. I have never heard her raise her voice, no matter the circumstance, and she listens compassionately – without judgment or interruption. I’m lucky to have been raised by a strong, resilient woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. Her unconditional love and support means everything to me - she is the one to be celebrated here!
If you weren't in healthcare, what would you like to be doing?
Dream job: Peloton fitness instructor – paid to make playlists, exercise and motivate others!
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