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Research Compliance Training Requirements

This guide details the training requirements for research compliance at Penn State College of Medicine. All information from the flyer is available below for quick reference.

Click the topics under each category to see required training for research that falls under that area.

Those whose research falls under more than one category must complete the required trainings for all applicable categories.

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Department of Safety

Required trainings Expand answer

Chemical and Chemical Waste Management

Annual Infection Prevention training and/or OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens training

Annual Infection Prevention training will continue to satisfy the Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) training requirement.
Annual Infection Prevention – Hershey Medical Center staff

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens – College of Medicine staff

  • Found in CITI
  • Must be completed annually at expiration
  • College of Medicine personnel complete Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) training. Infection Prevention training will continue to satisfy the BBP training requirement.

Safety Training

For details Expand answer

With questions or for details about the Department of Safety or annual safety training, contact Kevin Myers at 717-531-7297 or safety@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

This includes use of infectious agents, select agents, toxins, unfixed human or animal cells or tissues. Protocol submission in CATS Safety, visit researchsafety.psu.edu.

Biosafety requirements apply to all human tissues, in addition to requirements mandated by HRPP and processes for obtaining samples. For more information, visit the HRPP website.

For dry ice shipping of dangerous goods including biological agents and materials, it is required to take Shipping of Regulated Biological Material training located in CITI every two years. For more information, please contact Kevin Gardner or Ray Scheetz.

Required trainings Expand answer

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and/or Annual Infection Prevention training

Annual Infection Prevention training will continue to satisfy the Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) training requirement.

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens (College of Medicine staff)

  • Found in CITI
  • Must be completed annually at expiration
  • College of Medicine personnel complete Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) training. Infection Prevention training will continue to satisfy the BBP training requirement.

Annual Infection Prevention – Hershey Medical Center staff

CITI yearly biosafety training

College of Medicine Biosafety Health Review

  • Download the “College of Medicine Biosafety Health Review Request Form” from CATS Safety > Safety tab > Library. Obtain health clearance one time prior to initiating work.
  • Accessed by calling Employee Health at 717-531-8280 / HMCEmployeeHealth@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or Student Health at 717-531-5998 / student_health@pennstatehealth.psu.edu. External, non-Penn State College of Medicine personnel (e.g., visiting scholars, summer students) need to provide clearance to work with animals and/or biological materials from their primary care provider or their home institution.
  • Must be completed one time; must renew clearance if materials worked with or nature of work changes, and/or if health of the individual changes.
For details Expand answer

With questions or for details about Biosafety, contact:

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

This includes all work involving the use of live, vertebrate animals for research and educational purposes.

Protocol submission for this research is done in CATS IACUC.

Contact Health Physics Division if any work with animals involves use of radiation or radioactive materials.

For use of vertebrate animal tissues, submit a form to obtain approval prior to starting work; refer to the Infonet (Penn State Health ePass login required).

Required trainings Expand answer

Animal Care and Use species-specific training

Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHSP) clearance

For details Expand answer

For details on IACUC-related training, call Rachel Panas at 717-531-0003, ext. 285895, or Viola Devine at 717-531-0003, ext. 285571, or email IACUC@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

The IACUC Chair is Neil Christensen, reached by emailing IACUCChair@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Human Research Protection Program (HRPP)

This includes any research involving human subjects.

Biosafety requirements apply to all human tissues, in addition to requirements mandated by HRPP and processes for obtaining samples. For more details, visit the HRPP website.

For dry ice shipping of dangerous goods including biological agents and materials, it is required to take Shipping of Regulated Biological Material training located in CITI every two years. For more information, please contact Kevin Gardner or Ray Scheetz.

Required trainings Expand answer

Human Subjects Research (IRB)

Good Clinical Practice

Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training will only be required for researchers conducting FDA-regulated research or whose research meets the definition of a clinical trial. Those doing FDA-regulated research must complete the biomedical version.

For details Expand answer

Contact the Human Research Protection Program at 1-814-865-1775, email irb-orp@psu.edu, or visit the CITI Program website.

Health Physics Division (Radiation Safety)

This includes any work involving use of radioisotopes or radio-labeled compounds or specimens.

Use of irradiators, X-ray sources or lasers require specific radiation safety training.

Required training Expand answer

Safe Handling of Radioactive Material: Annual Refresher Training

Radiation Safety Training (x-ray, irradiation, laser)

  • Training available by contacting the Division of Health Physics
  • Consult division for specific frequency requirements
For details Expand answer

For details, contact Brian Lorah at 717-531-0003, ext. 321436, or blorah@pennstatehealth.psu.edu; Heather Barber at 717-531-6739 or hbarber1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu; or the Health Physics office at 717-531-8027.