IRB Training

The Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) Program is a leading online training program maintained by the University of Miami. It offers curricula in human subjects research, animal research, and the responsible conduct of research.

The training requirement applies to UTHSC faculty, staff, student, residents, fellows, research faculty advisors, and department chairs who approve research, and research administrators; to anyone conducting human subjects research activities at UTHSC or at our affiliate institutions; and to IRB members and staff. This includes anyone working directly with human subjects or with identifiable data or biological specimens for research purposes under UTHSC authority. Investigators, research nurses, coordinators, students, technicians working with identifiable data; and faculty advisors and department chairs approving research all need to obtain CITI certification.

If you are a first-time CITI user and you are an employee of the University (or you have a UT NetID and password from being sponsored into the UT NetID system), select Log in through my institution. Next, select University of Tennessee Health Science Center – Memphis from the drop-down list and log in with your UT NetID and password; this will allow your training to be entered into the human resources mandatory training database. If you do not have a UT NetID, you will need to create a CITI account following the online instructions. Remember that your password should consist of 8-50 characters and it is case sensitive.

You can affiliate your certification with UTHSC by following the online instructions on the CITI website. If researchers new to UTHSC, or collaborating researchers at other institutions, have taken Human Subjects Protections and Good Clinical Practice training at another institution, their completion certificate and course modules will be reviewed for reciprocity.  If the coursework is comparable, UTHSC will accept their training.  If the coursework in not comparable, additional modules may be assigned as needed, or researchers must complete one of the two course options noted below.

Investigators, all key study personnel, including faculty advisors, and department chairs have 2 options:

1. Complete the UTHSC Basic Human Subject Protections and Good Clinical Practices combination course. Every 3 years, recertification must be accomplished by completing the full course again.

OR

2. Complete the Human Subjects Training Basic Biomedical (Biomed) course

and

the GCP for Clinical Trials with Investigational Drugs & Medical Devices (U.S. FDA focus) course. These courses have more modules, but for recertification every 3 years, you can complete a shortened refresher course.

Research Administrators, IRB Chairs, IRB Members, and IRB staff must take the UTHSC Basic Human Subject Protections and Good Clinical Practices combination course.

CITI courses must be passed at 85% or higher.

CITI certification is good for 3 years for those conducting human subjects research at UTHSC or at our affiliate institutions. View the question above for recertification information.