Responsible Conduct of Research CITI Training

Ohio State requires all faculty, staff and students who are eligible to conduct research to be trained in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) through the online Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) RCR course. Beginning in 2024, in alignment with federal requirements and the university’s shared values, this course must be completed every four years within 60 days of assignment and is required of:

• all those eligible to conduct research, including faculty, staff, trainees and students, regardless of funding source
• all those who have completed some form of RCR training but not the CITI RCR course

The CITI RCR training offers seven different discipline-specific courses that consist of an introduction, foundation text, embedded case studies and a quiz.

• Biomedical Research
• Social and Behavioral Research
• Physical Sciences
• Humanities
• Engineering
• Research Administration
• OSU RCR CORE

Each discipline-specific course includes about 10 required modules and quizzes that take approximately 30 minutes each. A minimum score of 80% is required to pass the RCR course. Users can retake the quizzes if a passing score was not obtained. Modules do not need to be completed in one session. Competency in the topic allows proceeding directly to the testing component of the module.

Upon course completion, a copy of the completion certificate will be available to retain for your records. The CITI keeps track of all completion data, and Ohio State accesses completion data directly from CITI.

For researchers who have completed the CITI RCR course in the last four years at another institution, the course is not required again, until the four-year window is up.

• For those who completed the course at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, email a certificate of completion to RCRInfo@osu.edu
• For those who completed the course elsewhere, log on to the previous CITI account and click on the Affiliate with another institution link.
  • Choose Ohio State University from the drop-down menu
  • Choose the completed course
  • Review Ohio State’s modules and complete any new required modules
  • Course completion will then be registered with Ohio State

Depending on the research area, additional CITI courses may be required in addition to the RCR training, including:

• CITI Good Clinical Practice course for FDA and social/behavioral research
• CITI Human Subjects Protection course required by some funders

Those notified by a sponsor, funding agency or the Office of Responsible Research Practices (ORRP) that they need to take a supplemental CITI course must do so in addition to the required CITI RCR course.

The CITI RCR course may not appear in a user’s dashboard. Returning CITI users will need to self-assign the required course by:

• Expanding the heading for Ohio State University Courses
• Clicking add a course; then
• Select Responsible Conduct of Research; then
• Select the most appropriate discipline(s)

The system will then generate a tailored RCR course. 

Access to certain university systems and processes related to research for all faculty, staff and students who do not complete the required online RCR training, will be suspended until the CITI RCR training is completed. This includes, but not limited to, submission of IBC, IRB, and IACUC protocols and amendments; new project award set-up; project amendment processing and access to certain internal funding programs.

Those not engaged in research may opt out of CITI RCR training by signing a release form that certifies you are:

• not listed on any active human subjects, animal, or biosafety research protocols;
• not listed on any sponsored research projects;
• not involved in the design, conduct, or reporting of research;
• not involved in the oversight or administration of research; and
• not involved in teaching research, training on research, or the supervision of research.

• for CITI access issues, utilize the ORIS Knowledge Base or contact the ORIS Help Desk
• for issues with the CITI Program website, please contact support@citiprogram.org or call 888-529-5929
• for accessibility questions, email RCRInfo@osu.edu