Policy on Training

 

Policy on training for NEW animal users:

It is required by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) that all faculty, staff, students, and volunteers wishing to use animals in research or teaching at ETSU must (no exceptions) complete the online training course and exam. Additionally, an orientation tour of the animal facility and participation in the Occupational Health and Safety Program (OH&SP) are required before an individual can use/handle animals. An orientation will be scheduled by DLAR after training and Occupational Health requirements are met and the individual has been added to an active animal use protocol(s). The steps to becoming approved to use animals are:

Submission of Health Assessment and Risk Inventory forms is done through OneAegis.  For access, contact Marvin Bowe.

Steps to becoming approved to use animals

1.  Personnel must be added to an approved Animal Study Protocol.  The PI for the protocol(s) on which you will be working (or any personnel currently on that protocol with the authority to do so) must first contact Marvin Bowe with names of all personnel to be added. Those personnel will be provided with log in credentials and instructions for navigating the system, and the PI will be informed that a modification may now be submitted to add those personnel to a protocol. The modification will be approved and the PI notified as such once all personnel on the modification have completed the required CITI training below and their Health Assessment has been approved.

*Note: if any personnel require expeditious addition to the protocol(s), it is recommended that they be added individually rather than in a group to prevent possible delay caused by the others. 

2. Complete and submit a Health Assessment.  Submission of a Health Assessment form through OneAegis is how you enroll in the OH&SP.  For access, you must first contact Marvin Bowe; you will be unable to access the system until you do so. Your Health Assessment will be reviewed by the OH&SP physician, and DLAR will be contacted once it is approved. Annually, a notification will be sent for resubmission of a Health Assessment in OneAegis. These annual updates are required for all animal users.

A Risk Inventory is required for each lab in which animals are used, and should be submitted annually by the PI through OneAegis. A notification will be sent annually for re-submission. 

3.  Complete the Online Research Training Program. Go to the website www.citiprogram.org (open with Internet Explorer or Chrome).  Complete the course "Investigators, Staff, and Students"; follow the instructions for CITI Initial Training.

4. Attend an orientation to the animal facility.  Once you have completed the online training, your Health Assessment is approved, and you have been added to an active protocol(s), the Assistant Director of DLAR will contact you to schedule an orientation to the facility in which you will be working.

Policy on refresher training for CURRENT animal users:

Individuals who are approved to use animals in research at ETSU must complete a refresher training module every three years in order to retain their "active user" status.

Those who do not complete the refresher as required will not be permitted to work with animals until the module has been completed. Individuals will receive a notice from DLAR every three years as a reminder.

To access the refresher training:

Policy for visitors

Training requirements for visitors wishing to use or handle animals for research and/or teaching at ETSU will be determined individually by the IACUC. Determining factors for training requirements of visitors at ETSU will be previous experience, length of stay, and level of involvement in an animal study protocol at ETSU. If the visitor was approved to work with animals by the IACUC at their home institution, please submit supporting documentation to the ETSU IACUC.



* About the Online Animal Research Training Program
The online Animal Research Training Program is presented by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Office at the University of Miami. ETSU has adopted is as required training for all animal users as per policy of the IACUC.

As of August 18th, 2005, the IACUC requires that all NEW animal users take the online training course and exam.

Note: Investigators applying for VA-funded grants using animals also must complete the online training as part of their grant submission process for VA monies.

  • Investigators have the responsibility of being aware of current policies and regulations regarding humane animal care and use.  If you have any questions regarding animal use issues, we encourage you to take a refresher course using the online training program.

Please contact Jennifer Hoard at 439-8819 or hoard@etsu.edu if you have any questions regarding the Animal Research Training Program.