From: Alan Teller Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 11:28 AM To: cuhs-irb@CUMC.COLUMBIA.EDU Subject: Human Subjects Protection Training: Requirement for Continuing Education Dear Colleague, Columbia University is dedicated to integrity in research, and to the protection of the human subjects who contribute to our research through their voluntary participation. One way that we foster integrity and promote high standards of ethics and compliance in research is through training. Regular training ensures that all researchers who work with human subjects are mindful of the issues surrounding such research. Since 2009, the University has been revising its Human Subjects Protection (HSP) training requirements to ensure a consistent and up-to-date base of knowledge among human subjects researchers, and to be in line with best practices nationwide. The plan has included moving to the nationally-recognized Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) for HSP training, and requiring continuing education every three years. Beginning in 2012, researchers whose CITI HSP training was completed three or more years ago will receive notification from Rascal that their training certification will expire and direct them to complete continuing education. Reminders will go out 90, 60 and 30 days prior to expiration of the 3-year certification period. The IRB will not approve the addition of any researcher to a protocol unless all HSP training is up to date. We ask that you be alert to Rascal reminders, and we suggest that you complete your continuing education in a timely manner prior to protocol submission in order to facilitate review and processing. Please know that there is no charge to you to complete the CITI online training. Information about training is available on the IRB websites and also on the Office of Research Compliance and Training website. If you have questions, please contact the IRB or the Office of Research Compliance and Training. Sincerely, George Gasparis Executive Director, Columbia Human Research Protection Program