Compliance Training

CITI LOG IN: CITI via Flashline ID.

You should receive a refresher course reminder from CITI 90 days prior to your 3 year expiration date. Letting your training lapse more than 30 days will result in more coursework.    

Training For Research Involving Human Subjects

All researchers conducting research involving the use of human subjects must complete CITI before the Kent State Institutional Review Board (IRB) will approve a project. This includes:

• GCP training must be completed by anyone engaged in a clinical trial.
• Investigators conducting biomedical research must complete the Biomedical Research Investigators course.
• Investigators conducting social, behavioral or educational research must complete the Social & Behavioral Research Investigators course.
• HIPAA - if you are accessing HIPAA regulated information you must complete Information Privacy Security for Researchers in addition Biomed or SBR training.   
• Students - Class Projects is required for Class Projects, it is not accepted for Level I, II, or III projects. 
• CITI Help Resources - CITI FAQs - information on merging accounts
• Training is valid for three years and can be updated by completing the applicable refresher course. 

Training for Research Involving Animals

Before the IACUC approves research involving the use of animals, all investigators and key personnel must complete:

• Contact researchcompliance@kent.edu to request individualized or lab specific training. 
• Online CITI Animal Care and Use training
  •  Working with the IACUC and species and procedure appropriate modules, 
  • Training is valid for three years and can be updated by completing the applicable refresher course,
  • CITI Help Resources and CITI FAQs
• Research Laboratory Safety training
• Occupational Health Program for Persons Involved in Animal Care and Use
  • Policy
  • Flowchart for Occupational Health Program
  • Enroll in Occupational Health Program
  • Occupational Health ABC Forms 
  • The IACUC may require supplemental, study specific Occ. Health materials to be developed by the research teams - supplements are reviewed by the IACUC and University Health Services. 

CITI Training for Responsible Conduct of Research

In 2009 the National Science Foundation implemented a requirement of the America COMPETES Act, for Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training for undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers participating in funded research. Principal Investigators are reminded to direct their students and postdocs to CITI to complete the RCR module before assuming duties on an NSF-funded project. Early 2023 the National Science Foundation’s latest Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) expanded the requirements for Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) training. 

For NSF proposals submitted on or after July 31, 2023, all faculty and other senior personnel named on the proposal must complete an approved form of RCR training before any funding can be awarded. Postdocs, grad students and undergraduates are also still required to complete RCR training before conducting NSF-supported research.

Please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs at 330-672-2070 if you have questions about RCR training.

CITI Training for Financial Conflict of Interest

All investigators supported by Public Health Service (PHS) funding, and those that have adopted PHS FCOI requirements, including funding from the National Institutes of Health, are required to complete CITI FCOI training. This training must be renewed every four years.

Please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs at 330-672-2070 if you have questions about FCOI training.

Lab Safety Training

All faculty, principal investigators, staff, students and volunteers who will be working in a research laboratory must complete safety training before beginning their lab research. Those using radioactive materials must also attend training before beginning their work; the radioactive training must be completed annually.

Research training areas include:

• CITI Laboratory Chemical Safety Module which addresses general chemical safety concepts that include chemical storage and segregation, emergency planning, chemical fume hoods, hazard and risk assessment, PPE, lab waste management, hazardous chemical transport and compressed gas cylinder safety.
• Radioactive Materials Training - includes ionizing radiation fundamentals, radiation training for non-radiation workers and regulatory requirements.
• Biosafety Training - safe work practices in a biological lab.

Help Resources:

CITI Help Resources - CITI FAQs - information on merging accounts 

How to choose a CITI module

1. After logging in, choose "add a course" 
2. From the list of training topics, select the applicable topic.
3. Select the relevant topics and follow the prompts

Refresher Course When Your Training has Expired

1. Log into CITI training site.
2. Click on Add a Course or Update Your Learner Groups for Kent State University.
3. Choose the Human Subjects radio button; then Next.
4. Choose the Social and Behavioral Research Investigators or Biomedical Investigators radio button; then Next. The refresher course will be added to the “My Courses” section.

Merging accounts

If you have completed the CITI course at another institution and within the past three years, in most cases your credit can be transferred and merged with a Kent State CITI account by completing these steps:

1. Log into CITI using your previous institution’s log-in credentials.
2. From the Main Menu on your profile click on the link “Click here to affiliate with another institution.”
3. In the Search for Organization box type and choose “Kent State University.”
4. Note that if you are having difficulty merging accounts you must contact CITI support. 

Find more information on laboratory safety

Learn about Research Safety & Compliance