PI Training Requirements

All researchers covered by this policy whose research is funded by federal grants must complete training in human subjects protection prior to submission of a proposal to the Board. More specifically:

Students on federally funded grants must complete: 

  1. CITI Training: Human Subjects Research
  2. CITI Training: Responsible Conduct of Research

Primary Investigators and Senior Personnel* on federally funded grants must complete:

  1. CITI Training: Human Subjects Research
  2. CITI Training: Responsible Conduct of Research
  3. Research Securities Training (specifically for NIH and NSF grants)

*Senior personnel are determined by the PI and refers to anyone considered essential to the grant and labeled as such in the proposal (e.g., Co-PI, Co-Investigator, Lab Manager/Director, Project Manager). 

In addition, the Board may require such training of other researchers whose coursework, background and experience, based on information submitted with a proposal, seems inadequate. Those researchers will be notified by the Chair when training is required. Online training options are the following:

  • CITI Training: Select the appropriate course (Human Subjects Research and/or the appropriate Responsible Conduct of Research module), and identify the appropriate learner group that pertains to you (faculty, staff or student). If you are doing ethnographic research, or if your research deals with underserved or underrepresented populations, you should complete the Cultural Competence in Research module as well. 
  • To access CITI training, click on "Log In," and select "Log in through my Organization," then click on "See our full list of SSO-enabled organizations," and select "Mount Holyoke College." Click on that and it will bring you to the log in for Mount Holyoke, then type in your MHC username and password.

Investigators should register online, complete the module, and then print out a certification of completion. Submit the certification via the Mentor IRB system. The training is free of charge when only the certificate of completion is requested.