How the QA/RA Certificate Helped This Engineer Fast-Track Promotions and Step into a CTO Role

In the rapidly evolving world of medical technology, engineers who understand quality assurance and regulatory affairs have a rare advantage—and the job market knows it.

For Sari I. Younan, a participant in CU Denver’s Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs (QA/RA) Certificate program, that advantage turned into promotions, new responsibilities, and an unexpected opportunity to step into a CTO role at a healthcare startup.

This wasn’t just another professional development course. It was a career accelerator.

From day one the collaborative, hand-on design of the course made an impact.  “Overall, the course was very informative and enjoyable,” he shared. “The fact that it focused on collaboration in the classroom made it even more enjoyable and made learning and understanding that much easier, as you’re able to constantly interact with the material instead of simply hearing it.”

That level of interaction didn’t just make learning engaging—it directly reflected how real-world regulatory teams operate. “Simply the collaborative course experience as it is more accurate to how industry actually operates relative to regulatory affairs,” he says.

Developed alongside the Colorado Bioscience Institute and more than 40 industry partners, the course gives students a direct line to the skills and competencies employers need most today.

Breakthrough Skills with Real Career Momentum

One of the biggest turning points came when he learned how to independently navigate regulatory databases and standards—both domestic and international. That skill alone gave him a career advantage that became obvious almost immediately.

Co-workers even gave him a new nickname. “I have been affectionately nicknamed ‘legal’ as I have become the go-to person for other engineers, mostly entry level, trying to figure out how to build software within local and international standards and stay within required 

The impact of the program didn’t take long to show. With a new regulatory toolkit—and a growing ability to solve problems that others couldn’t—he began outpacing his peers.

“I quickly realized I had an advantage over other engineers who had to learn the guidelines and regulations speeding up my workflow as well as having rarely had to rely on the higher ups or any other people who would typically be asked about regulatory compliance for information which conveyed self-reliance to managers helping me speed up a few promotions.”

But the biggest opportunity came from outside his workplace. His new expertise caught the attention of a pharmacist-entrepreneur developing medical software—and she invited him into something bigger.

“I recently began talks with a pharmacist who wants to build medical software to ease communication between hospitals, PCPs, and pharmacists to be onboarded to her startup, not only as CTO and co-founder of her startup but also as the regulatory consultant.”

This certificate goes beyond upskilling; it reshaped the trajectory of his career.

A Competitive Edge in a Rapidly Growing Field

For anyone considering the Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs Certificate, he has clear advice based on firsthand experience.

“Absolutely! Not only does it help someone learn and navigate the resources it puts them far ahead of those who rely on industry experience to learn this skill making them a more appealing candidate for hire.”

Sari’s experience reflects a broader industry truth: engineers who understand regulatory pathways are rare—and highly sought after. As fields like medical devices, digital health, and biotech continue to grow, the need for professionals who can navigate compliance with confidence is only increasing.

The QA/RA certificate gives students the tools to do just that. With industry-built curriculum, expert faculty, hands-on learning, and a direct connection to the needs of regional and national employers, this program prepares learners to stand out in competitive job markets, take on more responsibility earlier in their careers, accelerate promotions, and become leaders in their fields.

To learn more about the Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs Certificate, visit the College of Engineering, Design and Computing website.