COLLABORATIVE INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING INITIATIVE (CITI)
The National Institutes of Health state "training and education are first-order requirements so that PIs on clinical trials have consistent and complete understanding of their responsibilities."  UNCA's research typically revolves around the social sciences and not clinical trials but the principle remains the same. Understanding the do's and don'ts will prevent harm to research subjects while preserving the canons of ethical research. In 2009, the University reviewed current IRB  training  and sought a means to provide a uniform curriculum to the campus community.  This review identified the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) as the standard in electronic human subject training programs and the IRB began using the system in the fall of 2009.

The CITI program is an online training designed to educate faculty and students about issues involving human subject research. The program was founded in March 2000 as a collaboration between the University of Miami and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The goal of the course is to educate researchers about responsible research conducted inside and outside the laboratory. The design and implementation of the program was funded by the Office of Research Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services. 

The sidebar provides a pdf document that outlines how to access CITI and what to do when you complete the required training. If you have difficulties accessing the site, please contact the IRB Chair at msmith@unca.edu.

OTHER TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
The CITI course is intended to provide a uniform course of instruction to the University community regarding human subjects. Because CITI's instruction is accepted as the standard for IRB training for hundreds of domestic and international organizations, it reduces the requirements for duplication in training efforts in most cases.  However, some sponsors, departments, and other entities may require additional training, such as NIH and the DHHS. Please check with the appropriate administrative authority as CITI does not replace training requirements beyond the purview of the IRB.