Human Subjects Protections Training
Human Subjects Protections
Researchers, including research study staff and students, working with human subjects or data and samples from humans must sometimes complete training in human subjects protections to meet the requirements of the organizations they are affiliated with or funders. Training educates researchers about the ethical principles for working with human research subjects and the regulatory requirements for conducting research.
University of Washington Requirements
The UW and HSD do not currently require that researchers complete training or submit documentation of training as part of the application review process. HSD recommends that researchers who are new to research involving human subjects complete training in the basic ethical principles for working with human research subjects.
| Training Options |
|---|
| The CITI Program offers a 4-6 hour basic online course appropriate for all research disciplines that is free if you are affiliated with UW or collaborating with someone who is affiliated with UW.
The CITI Program also offers a stand-alone refresher option for those who have previously taken the basic course. See the Web Based CITI Training page for more information on registering for CITI courses. |
Funding Organization Requirements
Many organizations require that researchers working on funded projects complete training. Contact your funding agency to confirm their requirements. Common requirements are:
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Senior/key personnel on NIH-funded human subjects research must complete training in human subjects protections. No refresher is required.
More information is available on NIH’s website.
Training Options:
The CITI Program offers a 4-6 hour online course that is free if you are affiliated with UW or collaborating with someone who is affiliated with UW.
Other organizations such as Seattle Children’s offer in-person training for affiliated investigators.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
All researchers supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), including faculty and senior personnel, undergraduates, graduates, post-doctoral researchers and research trainees must complete training in Responsible Conduct of Research which contains human subjects protection components.
Training Options:
- Researchers should consult the Office of Research RCR webpage for training options.
Department of Defense (DOD) and its components
DOD requirements are complex and vary among components. Researchers should work with the human research protection office of the DOD component to identify any human subjects training requirements and how to fulfill them.
Collaborating Institution Requirements
UW researchers who work with a collaborating institution may be required to complete training to meet that institution’s requirements. Check with the collaborating institution to confirm their requirements. Common collaborators:
- Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Seattle Children’s
Community-Engaged and Community-Based Participatory Research Course (Optional)
HSD offers an optional training course on Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) and Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) through the CITI Program. This course introduces learners to CEnR and CBPR and identifies the ethical and practical considerations particular to the design, review, and conduct of CEnR. This course does not fulfill the human subjects training requirement that funding agencies like NIH expect and should be considered an optional add-on training.
The course is free if you are affiliated with UW or collaborating with someone who is affiliated with UW. See the Web Based CITI Training page for more information on registering for CITI courses.