Education and Training Requirements
Requirements to conduct research, plus optional learning to grow your career.
Find the requirements that apply to you and your team's research activities. Most trainings are tracked in the Study Team Lookup tool. Please note that there may be additional isolated or project-based requirements not listed here.
Required training for all employees
These institutional trainings are assigned to all Ohio State faculty and staff, separate from research-specific requirements.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| Security Awareness Required of all employees. Annual training assigned each spring by the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation (OTDI). | Annually |
| Institutional Data Policy Required of all employees with access to S4 data. Annual training assigned each spring by OTDI. | Annually |
| HIPAA and Institutional Data Compliance Required of all employees with HIPAA access. Annual training assigned by the Wexner Medical Center. | Annually |
| STEP UP Against Sexual Misconduct Annual training assigned each spring for all employees. | Annually |
| Reporting Fraud, Waste and Abuse Auditor of State training, required under ORC 4113.52 of all employees. Online training in BuckeyeLearn. | One-time, within 30 days of start date |
| Digital Accessibility Training Required of all faculty, staff, and student employees who produce digital content. Online training in BuckeyeLearn. | Annually |
| Building Emergency Action Plan (OSU-BEAP) Required of all employees. Online training in EHS. | One-time |
| Collin's Law Anti-Hazing. Required of all faculty, staff, and student employees who produce digital content. Online training in BuckeyeLearn. | One-time, within 30 days of start date |
| Hazard Communication Required of all faculty, staff, and student employees. Online training in BuckeyeLearn. | One-time, within 30 days of start date |
| Workplace Violence Awareness Required of all faculty, staff, and student employees. Online training in BuckeyeLearn. | One-time, within 30 days of start date |
Required of all researchers
Every researcher at Ohio State must complete these requirements regardless of research type or funding source.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| CITI Training: Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Online module covering federal RCR requirements (NIH, NSF, USDA). Required for all faculty, staff, postdocs, students and trainees eligible to conduct research. | Within 60 days of initial assignment, then every 4 years |
| Conflict of Interest Disclosure Annual disclosure in eCOI for employees named on a sponsored project, named on a research protocol, or identified as having fiduciary or financial responsibility. | Annually each spring (opens mid-April, due mid-May) |
Required if you are on a federal grant
Federally-funded researchers have additional training and certification obligations under sponsor-specific requirements.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| Research Security Training One-hour condensed course in BuckeyeLearn that meets the requirement for all federal agencies. Released each spring alongside COI disclosures. | Annually, or within 30 days of being added to a federal award |
| Bayh-Dole Certification One-time online certification for employees named and paid on federally sponsored projects or named on research protocols supported by federal funding. | One-time certification |
| NIH Other Support Training 11-minute training in BuckeyeLearn required for key personnel on a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant. | Required for NIH key personnel |
| NIH In-Person RCR Training In-person RCR training provided by college or grant directors, in addition to CITI. Required for students and trainees on specified NIH grant types. For more about Ohio State resources that meet this requirement, please refer to Ohio State’s Institutional Responsible Conduct of Research Training Plan. | At least once during each career stage |
| NASA Certification All employees named on a pending NASA proposal and/or paid from an active NASA grant. | Annually |
| Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP) Certification In addition to certification with required biosketch and Current and Pending Support documentation, NSF senior/key personnel should update in your research.gov profile. NIH senior/key personnel must provide PDF from DocuSign. | Annually |
Required if you work with human subjects
All investigators and key personnel engaged in human subjects research must complete training before IRB review.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| Human Subjects Protection (HSP) One of two CITI web-based courses: Human Subjects Protection (Biomedical) or Human Subjects Protection (Social and Behavioral). Required for anyone designing, conducting, or reporting human subjects research, including exempt research. | Before initial IRB review, then every 3 years |
| Good Clinical Practice (GCP) CITI course in either Good Clinical Practice (US FDA Focus) or Good Clinical Practice (Social and Behavioral Focus). Confirm sponsor requirements before starting. | Before research begins, if required by sponsor |
Required if you work with animals
All investigators and key personnel engaged in animal research must complete training appropriate to their role.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| Animal Usage Orientation and Occupational Health and Safety Training Training module, Working with the IACUC, in CITI covering animal use orientation and occupational health and safety for everyone involved in the care and use of animals at Ohio State. | Upon initial assignment, then every 3 years |
| Occupational Health Program Risk Assessment Mandatory assessment via the Online Risk Assessment Tool (ORAT) for all staff, employees, students and volunteers with direct or indirect exposure to research animals. Establishes a health baseline and identifies exposure risks. | Annually |
| Training and Experience Narrative Each individual involved in an Animal Use Protocol must have a current narrative describing their previous experience and/or training regarding specific species and activities to be performed in all of the protocols in which they are listed. | Update when working with additional species and/or when beginning to perform additional procedures |
| University Laboratory and Animal Resources (ULAR) Facility Training Required for ULAR facility access. Contact ULARtraining@osu.edu to schedule. | Request after all study team requirements have been met |
| Farm Animal Zoonoses BuckeyeLearn training for personnel employed at Ohio State farms working with animals. | Every 1.5 to 2 years (when new training is released) |
Required if you work with biosafety materials
Anyone listed on an Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) protocol must complete training appropriate to the risk level and materials involved.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
Lab Standard Training
Optional courses
| One-time required before lab work begins |
| Biosafety Training Includes OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen, Biosafety Levels 1–3, Biological Safety Cabinets (optional), and Lentiviral Safety. Required modules depend on the IBC protocol. | Before work begins on an IBC protocol |
| Recombinant DNA (rDNA) Training BuckeyeLearn training for principal investigators and lab personnel working with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids. | Before rDNA work begins |
| Human Gene Transfer Training BuckeyeLearn course covering NIH Guidelines for Human Gene Transfer 2022. Required for anyone on an IBC protocol involving human gene transfer. | Before research begins |
| rDNA Involving Plants BuckeyeLearn course covering NIH Guidelines for rDNA in Plants 2022. Required for anyone on an IBC protocol involving rDNA in plants. | Before research begins |
| Radiation Safety Required for individuals seeking status as an approved supervisor for radioactive materials, or anyone working in a lab posted for radioactive material use. | Before working with radioactive materials |
| Respirator Training, Medical Clearance, and Fit Testing Required if deemed necessary by the ORAT assessment. | As determined by ORAT |
| Occupational Health Program Risk Assessment Mandatory assessment via the Online Risk Assessment Tool (ORAT) for all staff, employees, students and volunteers with direct or indirect exposure to research animals. Establishes a health baseline and identifies exposure risks. | Annually |
Required if you work with export-controlled materials and/or have a clearance status
Researchers with security clearance and/or handling export-controlled technology, data or information have additional training requirements.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Training for Ohio State employees, sponsored guests and students listed on a technology control plan. | Annually |
| Export Control Training In-person training for individuals listed on a technology control plan. | Every 2 to 5 years |
| Annual Security Refresher BuckeyeLearn training assigned annually for all personnel holding a security clearance. | Annually |
| Insider Threat Awareness All cleared personnel must complete this training through the Center for Development of Security Excellence (DCSA). | Annually |
Required if you work with controlled substances
Researchers using controlled substances in non-therapeutic research must complete training before research begins.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| Use of Controlled Substances in Non-Therapeutic Research BuckeyeLearn module required for all DEA registrants and authorized agents. | Before research starts |
Required if you conduct clinical trials
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov Training CITI course "Protocol Registration and Results Summary Disclosure in ClinicalTrials.gov" for all study team members and PIs of investigator-initiated trials. | Before trial registration |
Recommended training
These optional trainings build skills for managing research, leading a lab, and navigating Ohio State's research systems. None are required, but most researchers find them useful.
| Training | When |
|---|---|
| Finding Funding: SPIN Database Training BuckeyeLearn course providing an overview of the SPIN database, which catalogues more than over 40,000 funding opportunities from sources including federal and state governments, philanthropic and private foundations, and industry and corporate sources. | Recommended for faculty starting research |
| Federal Time and Effort Reporting for PIs BuckeyeLearn training to help PIs navigate the federal Time and Effort reporting process. | As needed |
| Managing Grants in Workday 15-minute BuckeyeLearn module covering the Principal Investigator's Summary dashboard and managing funding in Workday. | As needed |
| Outside Activities and Conflict of Interest Policy Training Monthly Zoom webinar from the Office of University Compliance and Integrity covering Outside Activities and Conflicts Policy, Ohio Ethics Law, and federal research conflict of interest regulations. Faculty/researcher-focused sessions cover federal research disclosure requirements in additional detail. | Monthly webinar |
| Financial Conflict of Interest Training BuckeyeLearn course reviewing the university processes for identifying, evaluating and managing FCOIs in accordance with the Outside Activities and Conflicts policy and federal research regulations. | As needed |
| Huron System for PIs and Study Staff (IRB) Optional BuckeyeLearn training to support submission in the Huron system for IRB protocols. | As needed |
| Huron Institutional Biosafety for PIs and Study Staff BuckeyeLearn introduction to the Huron Institutional Biosafety system for PIs and study staff on IBC protocols. | As needed |