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IRB and iMedRIS Training

The IRB is happy to arrange a group training for your department or even a one-on-one training for an individual.
Please contact Laura Rush if you are interested in scheduling one of the iMedRIS trainings below.

Beginner IRB and iMedRIS Training

Designed for Principal Investigators, Co/Sub-Investigators, and Coordinators who are not familiar with IRB policies and/or have never submitted electronic studies to the IRB using iMedRIS. Covers practical issues such as UT NetIDs, taking the CITI course, acquiring administrative approval from affiliate institutions, obtaining access to and navigating iMedRIS.  Includes review of many policies, common problem areas, and federal regulatory requirements for conducting research. Classes are usually held the first Tuesday of the month at 12:00 p.m.; alternate times can be accommodated.

Campus Session

The UTHSC IRB offers campus training sessions called IRB Insights.  Visit our Insights page for more information.  

 

 

Advanced iMedRIS Session 

One-on-one or same research team, these sessions are designed for Principal Investigators, Co/Sub-Investigators, and Coordinators who have specific questions about iMedRIS functions, navigating iMedRIS, and relating the IRB processes to iMedRIS. This class can be hands-on if you need assistance completing a particular iMedRIS form. Email question(s) along with your training request to Laura Rush.

 

Departmental Session

The IRB can tailor training to directly meet the needs of your department. We can conduct beginner IRB and iMedRIS training, or we can incorporate some beginner material with specific departmental issues, such as explaining the difference between exempt and expedited studies.

 

Required Online Human Subjects Protection Training

Before a research protocol receives final approval by the UTHSC IRB, all Key Study Personnel (KSP) listed on UTHSC IRB submission, and others identified below, must complete the web-based Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) Program. If you need any assistance or have any questions regarding the CITI training, please call the UTHSC IRB office at 901.448.4824.

What is CITI?
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.
Who has to take CITI?
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.
How do I log-in?
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.
What if I completed the CITI course at another institution?
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, researchers may take the UTHSC CITI researcher recertification test, or additional modules may be assigned as needed.
What CITI course do I have to take?

You must take the course that is the most appropriate to your research role and activities:

  • Investigators and all key study personnel, including faculty advisors, should take UTHSC Initial Basic Training for Clinical Researchers and Study Teams: Human Subject Protections and Good Clinical Practices;
  • New Research Administrators, Department Chairs, IRB Chairs, IRB Members, and IRB staff should take UTHSC Initial Basic Training for IRB Members, Administrators and Institutional Officials: Human Subject Protections and Good Clinical Practices.
  • When your current CITI training expires, you must take the recertification test for your research role:

UTHSC Recertification Testing for Clinical Researchers and Study Teams: Human Subject Protections and Good Clinical Practices

OR 

UTHSC Recertification Testing for IRB Members, Administrators and Institutional Officials: Human Subject Protections and Good Clinical Practices

If you do not pass the test at 85% or higher, you must take (or re-take) the initial course for your research role.

For how long is my certification effective?

For IRB purposes, 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.

Last Published: Feb 2, 2021