Personnel Training Requirements

Training Resources:

Training Requirements Cheat Sheet: Allows for personnel to know the required training that needs to be completed and track the training they’ve completed.

Completion of CITI Training Requirements:

In effort to help maintain a culture of compliance, we want to ensure that all personnel working with animals are aware of the regulations and guidelines that govern laboratory animal research, as well as, ensuring an understanding of the importance of maintaining animal welfare. Therefore, we require all personnel working with laboratory animals to complete the following online CITI training modules:

• Required Courses:
  • Working with the IACUC (Investigators, Staff and Students)
  • Minimizing (Reducing) Pain and Distress
  • Post-Approval Monitoring (PAM)
  • Species Specific (based on species used, ask mentor if unknown)
    • For example, if working with mice, select “I work with Mice” or “Working with Mice in Research”
• Additional Courses (based on work performed):
  • Antibody Production
  • Aseptic Surgery
  • Essentials for IACUC Members (IACUC Chairs, Members and Coordinators)
  • Refresher Course (reserved for special circumstances)
• Other Information:
  • Instructions for CITI
  • CITI Training Website
    

Enrollment in the Occupational Health Program:
We care about the safety of all personnel working with or around laboratory animals. Therefore, it is important for these individuals to enroll in our Occupational Health Program. Enrollment requires the completion of the Medical History Questionnaire (MHQ).  

• MHQ Submission Process:
  • In order to enroll in the Occupational Health and Safety Program, please complete the Medical Health Questionnaire (MHQ) Form.
• Submission Guidelines: 
  • Submit the form only once. 
  • If you find it necessary to resubmit your initial submission for correction, kindly contact the Occupational Health Nurse Isabel Vecino, RN for guidance and instructions. 
  • Do not resubmit unless expressly instructed to include extra information. 
  • Be sure to have an electronic copy of your Td/Tdap Record ready to upload when filling out the form. This record should clearly show the name and date of birth of the individual receiving the vaccine, the vaccine received, and the date in which the vaccine was administered.  
  • You must have been vaccinated within the last 9 years for your records to be considered valid.
  • If a vaccination is needed, feel free to schedule an appointment with the Priority Care Clinic (817) 735-5051. Alternatively, you may receive a vaccination from your primary care physician or your local pharmacy.
  • If you have any allergies to animals or breathing issues, a mask fit test may be required. Please complete the Mask Fit Form and after completing the form a staff member will contact you to schedule the appointment.
• Additional Information Requests:
  • If further details are required, anticipate an email from Isabel Vecino, RN, or the designated reviewer.
  • This may include addressing missing attachments, rectifying name or date of birth omissions in tetanus documentation, updating expired records, or obtaining new fit testing.
  • The IACUC Office will be included in communications requesting supplementary information.
• Annual Renewal Process:
  • Enrollment in the Occupational Health and Safety Program will need to be renewed on an annual basis. This is done through the MHQ submission process.
  • Reminders of the annual renewal are sent three months before the MHQ expiration date.
  • Secondary submissions during this period will be considered for the next MHQ Clearance year. 

DLAM Policy & Handling Training:

In addition to the CITI Training, we have our in house training through the Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM), which provides training for conducting laboratory animal research at UNTHSC.

• Required Courses:
  • DLAM Policy Training
  • DLAM Animal Handling Techniques Training
• Additional Courses:
  • Aseptic Surgical Techniques Training
    • Required for anyone performing procedures requiring aseptic handling (such as survival surgery).
  • Anesthesia Techniques Training
    • For using volatile anesthetics.
  • Additional Handling Techniques Training
    • Injections
    • Blood Collection Procedures
    • Other training by request.
• Training Registration:
  • Please complete the Training Request Form to register for this training.

Protocol Specific Training: 

Principal Investigators (PI) are responsible for training their staff on procedures specific to their protocol. However, for this training, the IACUC is now requiring specific documentation to be recorded and maintained for the staff trained in the laboratory. These records should include the following:  

• Name of the individual receiving the training 
• Name of the trainer 
• Protocol Number/ Species 
• Name/ Description of procedures/ techniques being trained 
• Date in which the training took place 

A template has been developed in the IACUC Office for you to use for these training records and is linked below. Please remember if you are using animals to train personnel, to include this in your protocol, and ensure there are enough animals on your protocol reserved for training purposes.  

Training Records Template

Included on an Active Animal Care and Use Protocol: 

Before being able to conduct any animal research, all personnel must receive the occupational health and training requirements listed above, and be included on an active animal care and use protocol. To do this,  you may simply be listed on a new protocol form, or added to an existing protocol through an amendment form. You may find both of these forms on the forms section of our website.

Feel free to contact our IACUC office (817-735-2533; IACUC@unthsc.edu) should you have any questions regarding the Occupational Health and Training Requirements.