IACUC Training and Certification

Training and certification requirements

Prior to the start of any animal activity, all Principal Investigators (PIs), faculty, research staff, students and volunteers who use animals in instruction or research are required to complete applicable certification and training. This includes investigators who use tissues, cells or serum obtained from another PI or as a custom bioproduct (not a product available commercially as a stock item).

It is the responsibility of the PI to ensure that all personnel listed on the protocol complete the required certification and training in animal care and use.

Please note that completion of all applicable on-line certification is required before anyone (including the PI) can be listed on a protocol.  Protocol submissions will not be granted final approval if individuals in the PI and OSD roles have not completed the required certification.

All on-line training and certification is conducted through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) website. First time users of the CITI training modules must read the CITI Instruction Page before proceeding with the modules.

The complete list of training modules can be found here.

Return to Top

Certification needed for inclusion on a protocol

  • CITI Working with the IACUC: Investigators, Staff and Students
  • CITI Individual Species modules (mouse, rat, rabbit, etc.). Note that two new certification modules have been added:
    • The Humane Care and Use of Birds in Research for individuals working with domestic or wild birds
    • The Humane Care and Use of Reptiles and Amphibians in Research for individuals working with any amphibian, such as Xenopus spp. or wild species (replaces Working with Amphibians in Research Settings)
  • CITI Aseptic Surgery, if performing survival or non-survival surgery in any animal species
  • CITI Reducing Pain and Distress in Laboratory Mice and Rats if working with laboratory mice and rats
  • CITI Zoonotic Diseases of Wildlife: Mammalian or Avian Species module if working with these wild species
  • Rodent field study training, if performing rodent field studies
  • Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ) with Occupational Health (two part process with both the individual and OSD completing a portion). Additional information concerning the Animal Hazards Program can be found here.
  • Hands on training to perform euthanasia by Cervical Dislocation or Decapitation without Anesthesia, if applicable (see IACUC Policy #201 for additional information or contact Dr. CJ Doane at 520-626-6702.  The certification form is found on the Forms page under "Other Forms".)
  • Hands on training to perform retro-orbital bleeding or injection without Anesthesia, if applicable (Contact Dr. CJ Doane at 520-626-6702 to schedule training.  The certification form is found on the Forms page under "Other Forms".)

Return to Top

The Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ)

There is some confusion about the Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ), which is part of the Animal Hazards Program. Hopefully, this information will clarify things.

The Animal Hazards Program is federally mandated and animal researchers must enrol in the program. The RAQ is the first part of the enrolment process, which is administered by the Occupational Health Office. Due to medical privacy issues, the IACUC is not able to see any details of the process. The IACUC is only provided with notification that the RAQ process is finished.

Please note that until the IACUC Office receives notification from Occupational Health that an individual has finished the RAQ process, that individual cannot be added to a protocol.

The RAQ is a multi-step process.

  • The individual and the OSD must complete the online RAQ form. Both the individual and the OSD must complete their parts to begin the process. Note that the individual and the OSD can be the same person.
  • Occupational Health receives the RAQ and it is reviewed by an Occupational Health nurse.
  • The individual submitting the RAQ is contacted by Occupational Health. This email may indicate that nothing further is needed OR may indicate that more information or an office visit is required.

If Occupational Health contacts the individual about more information or an office visit and the individual does not respond to this or subsequent emails, the RAQ process stops. This is the most common reason why completion of the RAQ is delayed.

  • Occupational Health may also contact the OSD, if more information is required. If the OSD does not respond to this request, the RAQ process will stop.
  • Once all the necessary steps are completed, the IACUC Office is notified.

The IACUC Office cannot speed up the process, nor can we determine what is holding up the process. If there has been a delay in the RAQ process, please contact the Occupational Health Program Coordinator at (520) 626-5735 or drake@health.arizona.edu.

Return to Top

Certification needed for inclusion on a protocol as the OSD

  • All the training listed above, as applicable
  • CITI OSD Certification

To gain keys and access to University Animal Care (UAC) facilities

  • Be listed on an active protocol
  • Hands-on training as applicable:
    • Micro-Isolator (MI) & Individualized Ventilated Caging (IVC) Training - if you are working with animals in MI and/or IVC caging you are required to complete this one-on-one training session (contact Cindy M. at 520-626-6702)
    • Hazardous Materials Training - if you are working with a hazard within a UAC facility you are required to complete this hands on training (contact Cheryl at 520-626-6706) 
    • Nonhuman Primate Studies - in addition to the mandatory modules listed above, all individuals must also have/complete all of the following in this order:
      • A current negative TB test (contact the Occupational Health Clinic at 520-626-6363 to schedule a test)
      • Hands-on Training for Herpes B-Virus Prevention (contact Dr. CJ Doane at 520-626-6702)
      • One-on-one Nonhuman Primate Hands-on Training (contact Jeri at 520-626-6702)
  • Submit a Key and Biometric Access Request Form to UAC (see the instructions on the form) 

 Return to Top

Look up certification completed by IACUC Number

Click on the number range below that includes the certification number you wish to view. Use the "Find" function after the document is open to find the individual record you are looking for. Please contact either the IACUC Training/Certification Office or the IACUC Office if your IACUC number is not available from those listed below.

Data last updated: May 11, 2012

IACUC Certification numbers: 5000-5999
IACUC Certification numbers: 6000-6999
IACUC Certification numbers: 7000-7999
IACUC Certification numbers: 8000-8999
IACUC Certification numbers: 9000-9999
IACUC Certification numbers: 10000-10999
IACUC Certification numbers: 11000-11999

Other questions?

Answers to frequently asked questions about training and certification can be found here.

If you have any other questions, please contact the IACUC Training/Certification Coordinator at 520-621-3931.

Return to Top

Other training and certification depending on your research program

The type of research that is being performed may require additional certification and training.  All of the following training activities are under the auspices of the Office for the Responsible Conduct of Research.