Education and Training
- UB HRPP Required Training:
- CITI Optional Courses and Optional Modules
- HRPP and IRB Training Workshops available for researchers
A. UB HRPP Required Training:
Who must complete the CITI training?
UB Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) policy requires all “research staff” involved in human research projects to meet initial and continuing education requirements in the protection of human research subjects. Before a new project or renewal of a project is approved by the CYIRB, all research staff must successfully demonstrate that they have met the education requirements.
"Research staff" includes: principal investigators, co-investigators, faculty advisors (for student investigators), research assistants, all individuals who will obtain consent, study/research coordinators, study/research managers, data collectors, recruiters, interviewers, and statisticians.
What is CITI training?
The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) is a web-based training program in human research subject protections.
What are the Initial Training Requirements?
Initial training requirements for researchers submitting to the CYIRB include:
- Successful completion of the Biomedical Research or Social & Behavioral Research track (as appropriate to the research being conducted) of the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Course in the Protection of Human Research Subjects which also includes reading:
- The Belmont Report, and
- The UB HRPP Investigator's FAQs, and
- The UB Human Research Protections Program Policy and Procedures Manual (UB SOP)
What if I Completed CITI Training at Another Institution?
Since CITI tutorials at different Institutions typically contain different modules, research staff must complete the University at Buffalo CITI training. However, research staff who have completed CITI training at another institution (within the past 3 years) can affiliate with the University at Buffalo as an additional institution on the CITI website. The CITI program will credit “matching” modules and indicate those that must be completed to fulfill UB’s requirements. Contact the CYIRB office at (716) 878-7141 for additional information, if needed.
What are the Continuing Training Requirements?
Once investigators and research personnel have met the initial training requirements, they are required to meet a continuing education requirement every three years. Continuing education requirements may be met either by completing a CITI refresher course or other training required by the UB Human Subjects Protection Program (HRPP).
How to Access CITI Courses
The CITI course modules contain reading material that can be read on screen or may be printed and read. A brief on-line quiz follows the completion of each module. The format is open-book so you may refer back to the text at any time.
Specific information for registering as a UB researcher for CITI courses is provided below. General information regarding CITI is available on the website once you log in.
First-Time Users: Steps for registering for the CITI basic course:
- Go to: https://www.citiprogram.org
- Select: New Users – Register Here
- Select your “Learner Institution” from the “participating Institution” drop-down list. From the drop-down list select: “SUNY - Buffalo (University at Buffalo)”
- Follow the instructions for selecting username and password, filling in your name, and providing an email address. Click the “SUBMIT” button
- On the “Select Curriculum” page:
- Check to be sure that the top of the page indicates that your institution is “SUNY –Buffalo (University at Buffalo).”
- Under Question 1, select “For protocols submitted and reviewed by the CYIRB ... complete either the BIOMEDICAL Research or the Social & Behavorial Research track (as appropriate to the research being conducted)." Click the “SUBMIT” button.
- You are ready to begin the CITI basic training course for the CYIRB
Completion of the CITI Basic course takes approximately 4 hours – however, the program need not be completed at one time. [Please Note: Registrants who begin the course but do not log in again for 30 days may be deleted from the system and will have to re-register.] CMEs for completion of the CITI program are available through the University of Miami. Details are available on the CITI site: https://www.citiprogram.org/citidocuments/cme/index.htm
[IMPORTANT NOTE: If you complete the CITI coursework under “SUNY Buffalo – University at Buffalo,” the CYIRB staff has access to information regarding your completion of the course and it is not necessary to submit a paper copy of your completion certificate. You are, however, encouraged to maintain a printed copy of your CITI completion report for your personal records.]
B. CITI Optional Courses and Optional Modules
What are CITI Optional Courses and Optional Modules
Optional Courses:
Once you have established your affiliation with “SUNY - Buffalo (University at Buffalo),” you may, at any time, take any of the “optional courses” available through the “Curriculum” selection page (step #5 above) – by checking on questions 2 or 3. While completion certificates may be awarded for successful completion of these courses, they DO NOT fulfill the human research protection education and training requirement. Currently, the “optional courses” offered include:
- Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
- Health Information Privacy and Security (HIPAA/HIPS)
- Responsible Conduct of Research
CME credits may be available for the GCP Course through the University of Miami. Check the CITI website for details: https://www.citiprogram.org/citidocuments/cme/index.htm
Optional Modules:
Optional individual “modules” are also available on the CITI site. These optional modules are only available after successful completion of the basic course.
[NOTE: Completion of optional modules is voluntary and will not count toward a completed course. There are currently approximately 100 optional modules available to you that include a wide range of human subject protection topics as well as individual “modules” taken from the GCP and HIPAA/HIPS “courses.”]
C. HRPP and IRB Training Workshops available for researchers
Training sessions and workshops are available to researchers and their staff. For information or to arrange for training sessions for your research group, contact Dorothy Wright at: dswright@buffalo.edu or by phone: (716) 829-2752
