Human subjects review Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Note: if you already have a CITI account and just need to add the Human Subjects Research course, log in and then select "Add a Course". Skip to Step 7 of the instructions below to enroll in the Human Subjects Research training program.

Step 1:  Go to the CITI registration page and under “Select Your Organization Affiliation”, type “Wisconsin” in the box and then select University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.  Click on “Continue To Create Your CITI Program Username/Password”.

Step 2: Enter your first and last name and email address.  Enter your name here as you would like it to appear on your completion reports. *Please note that using your UWL-issued email address is preferred for account recovery purposes.* Click on “Continue to Step 3”.

Step 3: Choose a username, password, and security question.  Click on “Continue to Step 4”.

Step 4: Enter demographic information and click on “Continue to Step 5”.

Step 5: Click “NO” when asked if you want to request Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits.  Answer the next two questions and click on “Continue to Step 6”.

Step 6: Complete the personal information requested.  For your Department, students can use their major (Biology, Microbiology, etc.).  For the Role in Research, choose a role that is most appropriate for your involvement in the research.  Click on “Continue to Step 7”.

Step 7: Scroll down to Question 7 (SKIP ALL OTHER QUESTIONS FOR TRAINING), “Human Subjects Research” to select your curriculum*.  Choose one learner group from the list below based on the type of human subjects research activities you will conduct:     

• Biomedical Research Investigators: Choose this group to satisfy CITI training requirements for Investigators and staff involved primarily in Biomedical research with human subjects. 
• Social & Behavioral Research Investigators: Choose this group to satisfy CITI training requirements for Investigators and staff involved primarily in Social and Behavioral research with human subjects. 
• Research with data or laboratory specimens- ONLY: No contact (e.g., surveys) with human subjects. This training covers the use of identifiable secondary data. If you or your research team are collecting data, the appropriate training would be either the Biomedical or the Social & Behavioral training.
• IRB Members: This Basic Course is appropriate for IRB or Ethics Committee members. 

* If you are not sure which category you fit into, please check with the IRB office or your faculty advisor.   

Step 8: Click on “Submit” at the bottom of the page. 

Step 1:  From your list of courses, select the IRB course you’ve recently added to begin (Biomedical Research, Social & Behavioral Research, Biomedical Data or Specimens Only Research, or IRB Members)

Step 2:  Complete the Integrity Assurance Statement presented at the top of each course.  The system will allow you to start taking the course modules after completing it.

Step 3:  Click the title of each course to begin or continue the course. 

Step 4:  Complete the required modules and associated quizzes.  Please read the course main page for requirements, as there may be elective courses required based on your selected course.  Supplemental modules are optional, unless assigned by a professor, a supervisor, or a supervising investigator, or required of you by the IRB due to the nature of your project. 

The minimum "passing" aggregate score for the quizzes is 80%.  A running tally is compiled in the grade book. If you want to improve a score on a quiz, you may repeat any quiz.  Scores obtained after a completion report has been issued will not be reflected on the completion report.

Step 5:  When you complete all required modules of the course successfully, a Completion Certification will be available for you.  The IRB will need a copy of this document included in your IRB Application. You can access it under the “My Records” tab. 

Find the IRB course you have just completed, and click “View-Print-Share” under “Completion Record”.  There will be two options for completion records – the standard document needed can be found by clicking the link for the Completion Certificate. 

Step 6: Save this Completion Certificate as a PDF or Word document, and include it in the last page in your IRB Application. 

Note: if supplemental modules have been required of you (see Step 4), you should ALSO save and attach the Completion Report that is available on the same page as the completion certificate.

General questions and password reset requests should be addressed to irb@uwlax.edu

Technical issues with the CITI web site should be addressed to support@citiprogram.org or to 888-529-5929.

• Maybe. If you’ve already submitted a copy of your Completion Certification with an IRB protocol in the past at UWL, it’s possible we have record of this.  Please email irb@uwlax.edu to inquire if we have your Human Research Subjects Training certification on file.

• As of September 24, 2018, IRB training expires after a 5-year period.
  • For those completing IRB training for the first time in CITI, the required training certification will expire 5 years following an individual's completion date.
  • For individuals who completed the old NIH IRB training, certifications will expire December 31, 2023.  At that time, individuals should complete the CITI IRB training modules and provide a new completion certification with their next IRB protocol.

• General questions and password reset requests should be addressed to irb@uwlax.edu.

• Technical issues with the CITI web site should be addressed to support@citiprogram.org or to 888-529-5929.

• General questions about IRB Training can be directed to irb@uwlax.edu, or by calling 608-785-8044.