Research Compliance | School of Health Professions

Stony Brook University
School of Health Professions
School Policy for P211: Responsible Conduct of
Research and Scholarship (RCRS) Training

I. Background:

Stony Brook University policy P211 requires members and certain visitors of the Stony Brook University community to complete educational training on the responsible conduct of research and scholarship in order to equip members with the tools necessary to conduct ethically sound and compliant research and scholarship.

While this campus policy originates in response to National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) training requirements, it is the opinion of the University that training on responsible conduct of research and scholarship should be more comprehensive. Jointly issued by the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Senior Vice-President for Health Sciences, and the Vice-President for Research, the policy requires each academic unit to develop its own Complementary Policy for implementing P211 to allow for the most appropriate requirements for the faculty, staff and students of that academic unit.

The educational program in RCRS involves two (2) components: on-line training provided by the web-based Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) and in-person training (IPT). The federal IPT guidance is for eight (8) hours every 4 years, or 2 hours annually. The policy below outlines who in the School of Health Professions is required to complete these training components, the required frequency of such training, and the general content of the training.

Please note: If a person is receiving external grant support from an agency with a RCRS training requirement, they MUST follow the requirements set forth by the agency. For example, both NIH and NSF have training requirements for whom they consider “trainees”. It is important for individuals to review the RCRS training policies set forth by the agencies funding their research.

II. Requirements for RCRS Explained:

The educational program in RCRS involves 2 components:

1. An on-line training provided by the web-based Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) (the module is listed above). Faculty and all students (undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral) are required to enroll in one of the online training courses for RCR. Faculty and all students (undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral) must complete the appropriate course of the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). CITI training: The web-based Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training can be found when you click the following link: https://www.citiprogram.org/ (See Appendix A for Instructions for accessing the CITI on-line training).

2. An in-person training (IPT) is required for all faculty and students conducting research which is federally funded. The faculty and/or student must comply with the IPT requirements of the agency sponsoring the individual’s research or scholarship. If there are no IPT requirements of the agency sponsoring the research or scholarship, the school’s policy applies. The Research Committee in the School of Health Professions will offer a one-hour workshop / seminar per annum in order to fulfill this 1-hour in person training requirement. If the faculty member is not able to attend a workshop, the faculty may view the video-recorded workshop which will be uploaded online and engage in a face-to-face discussion with the Associate Dean for Research. Additionally, with prior approval by the Associate Dean for Research, a faculty member can attend a workshop that covers any of the below topics to receive hours for IPT in lieu of attending the SHTM workshop.

The Associate Dean for Research will maintain a record of faculty who have completed the RCRS Requirements in the School of Health Professions. If a faculty member/student is not in compliance with the SHP policy, they will be in violation of Stony Brook University Policy 211 and the violation will be reported to the Stony Brook University Office of Research Compliance.

IPT Topics include:

a. Conflict of interest – personal, professional, and financial
b. Mentor/mentee responsibilities and relationships
c. Collaborative research including collaborations with industry
d. Peer review
e. Data acquisition and research tools; management, sharing and ownership
f. Research misconduct and policies for handling misconduct
g. Responsible authorship and publication
h. The scholar as a responsible member of society, contemporary ethical issues and the environmental and societal impacts of research in the discipline
i. Policies regarding human subjects, live vertebrate animal subjects, and safe laboratory practices

III. Policy for RCRS Requirements in the School of Health Professions

The policy below outlines who in the School of Health Professions is required to complete these training components, the required frequency of such training, and the general content of the training.

A one-time completion of the on-line CITI training course titled “Responsible Conduct of Research” is expected of all faculty (full-time, part-time, adjunct, visiting professors), and all students (undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral). The course need only be completed once and does not need to be repeated. A detailed explanation of the RCRS requirements is listed below.

1. Students

a. Undergraduates:

Undergraduate students will complete one of the CITI training courses titled, “Responsible Conduct of Research” related to their area of research or scholarship. The below table illustrates the undergraduate major and the corresponding research course(s) in the program where the RCR course is required. The instructor for the course is responsible for sending a record of the students’ completion reports to the Associate Dean for Research. If a student does not complete the RCR course, the student will not pass the course. Undergraduate students conducting research under School of Health Professions faculty are encouraged to take the 1-hour in person training each year.

Major	Research Course(s): the RCR course of the CITI-training is required in one of the courses listed in each of the programs below
Athletic Training	HAL 351: Research Methods & Biostatistics HAL 450: Senior Research Seminar
Clinical Laboratory Sciences	HAD 335: Medical Ethics in Healthcare HAD 351: Research Literacy and Design
Health Science	HAN 251: Research Methods in Health Science
Respiratory Care & Polysomnography	HAS 351: Research Literacy/Research Design HAS 490: Research Tutorial HAT 335: Medical Ethics

b. Graduate Students enrolled in Master’s Programs:

Graduate students will complete one of the CITI training courses titled, “Responsible Conduct of Research” related to their area of research or scholarship. The student will not pass the course without completion of this online training. The below table illustrates the graduate program title and the research course where the RCR course of the CITI-training is required. Graduate students will additionally complete 1-hour IPT annually which will be fulfilled by completing and passing the research course(s) in their respective graduate program outlined below. For students enrolled in 2 year programs, there is one course each year that meets this requirement. The instructor for the course is responsible for sending a record of the students’ completion reports to the Associate Dean for Research. If a student does not complete the RCR course, the student will not pass the course.

Program Title	Research Course(s)	Course where RCR of the CITI-training is required
Applied Health Informatics	HHA 506: Research Design and Methodology for Health Informatics (3 credits)	HHA 506
Molecular Biology	HHM 551: Research Methods and Scientific Writing (3 credits) HHM 545: Ethics in the Laboratory (2 credits)	HHM 551 HHM 545
Occupational Therapy	HAO 549: Introduction to Research Design (3 credits) HAO 551: Research Design (3 credits)	HAO 549 HAO 551
Physician Assistant	HAP 551: Research Design Evidence-Based Medicine (3 credits) HAP 545: Ethics and Health Care (3 credits)	HAP 551
Speech-Language Pathology	HHS 551: Research Methods and Resources in Communication Sciences and Disorders (2 credits)	HHS 551

c. Doctoral Students:

Students enrolled in the DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) will complete one of the CITI training courses titled, “Responsible Conduct of Research” related to their area of research or scholarship in one of the below research courses. The doctoral students IPT requirements (1-hour annually) will be fulfilled by completing and passing the research course (s) in their respective graduate program which is outlined below. The instructor for the course is responsible for sending a record of the students’ completion reports to the Associate Dean for Research. If a student does not complete the RCR course, the student will not pass the course.

Program Title	Research Course(s)
Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)	HAY 552: Research Methods for Physical Therapists (3 credits); HAY 558: Evidence-Based Practice (2 credits); HAY 545: Ethics and Healthcare for Physical Therapists (2 credits)

Spring 2017- Until further notice, applications for the PhD in Health Rehabilitation Sciences have been suspended.

d. Students in Certificate programs:

Students in certificate programs are required to complete the RCR course and IPT training if the program is longer than one year and they are conducting research/scholarship.

e. Volunteers: Volunteers who conduct research/scholarship are required to complete the RCR course and IPT if their volunteer appointment is longer than one year.

2. Faculty

a. Full-time faculty (tenure-track and non-tenure-track clinical faculty):

All full-time faculty will complete one of the CITI training courses titled, “Responsible Conduct of Research” related to their area of research or scholarship. Faculty should submit their completion reports to the Associate Dean for Research.

All faculty are expected to take part in 1-hour of IPT annually. A workshop will be offered annually by the SHTM to its faculty in order to fulfill this 1-hour of in person training. A record of IPT will be maintained by the Associate Dean for Research. If the faculty member is conducting research and receiving external grant support from an agency with a RCRS training requirement, they MUST follow the requirements set forth by the agency.

b. Adjunct and part-time faculty:

Adjunct and part-time faculty will complete only one of the CITI training courses titled, “Responsible Conduct of Research” related to their area of research or scholarship if they are conducting research or scholarship. Adjunct and part-time faculty members should submit their completion reports to the Associate Dean for Research. Adjunct and part-time faculty members engage in teaching at the SHTM and are not involved in research or scholarship in their role as adjunct faculty; therefore, they are not required to complete any IPT. If an adjunct or part-time faculty member is involved in research or scholarship, they are required to complete the RCR course only, and take IPT each year.

c. Visiting Professors/Research Scientists:

All visiting professors and research scientists will complete one of the CITI training courses titled, “Responsible Conduct of Research” related to their area of research or scholarship. Visiting Professors should submit their completion reports to the Associate Dean for Research.

Visiting Professors and research scientists who are conducting research or scholarship are expected to participate in 1-hour of IPT annually. A record of IPT will be maintained by the Associate Dean for Research.

d. Preceptors/Clinical Instructors/Clinical Supervisors:

Preceptors/Clinical Instructors/Clinical Supervisors will complete one of the CITI training courses titled, “Responsible Conduct of Research” related to their area of research or scholarship if they are conducting research or scholarship and must submit their completion reports to the Associate Dean for Research. Preceptors/Clinical Instructors/Clinical Supervisors engage in supervision at the SHTM and are not involved in research or scholarship in their role; therefore, they are not required to complete any IPT. If a preceptor/clinical instructor/clinical supervisor is involved in research or scholarship, they are required to complete the RCR course and IPT each year.

e. Staff:

Staff who conduct research/scholarship are required to complete the RCR course and IPT each year.

Appendix A: Instructions for accessing the CITI on-line training

A. How to log onto the CITI Program to complete the on-line training

1. Go to https://www.citiprogram.org
2. On the upper right side of the screen, click “Log In”
3. Directly below the CITI Program logo, click “Log In Through My Institution”
4. Find and click on “SUNY - University at Stony Brook”
5. Enter your Stony Brook NetIQ and Password

B. How to find the required CITI course

1. The main menu on the page will have a top bar that says “SUNY – University at Stony Brook Courses.” Click on this blue bar.
2. Under the heading of “My Learner Tools” the first option is “Add a Course.” Click on this option.
3. The next page will have several options on the menu. Click on the first box, next to the words “I want to complete an RCR Course at this time.” Do not be concerned by the note that states that the course does not satisfy SBU Human Subjects training requirements.
4. Click “Next” on the bottom of the web page
5. Click on the “Basic course” button. Then click “Next” on the bottom of the page.
6. You will reach a page that tells you to choose the course mostly related to your discipline.
7. Click on the box which is appropriate for your type of research.
a. Choice 1 –click next to the 1st option on the list: “Biomedical Sciences Course in the RCR”. Then click “Next” at the bottom of the page.
b. Click on the box next to the 2^nd option on the list: “The Social and Behavioral Sciences Course in the RCR”. Then click “Next” at the bottom of the page.

C. How to find and download your completion certificate for the CITI training program

1. Once you have logged in to the CITI program website (see instructions in Part A) look for the menu bar across the top of the web page. Click on “My Reports”
2. You will see a list of the courses you have completed. Look for the heading “Responsible Conduct of Research in the Biomedical Sciences or Responsible Conduct of Research in the Social and Behavioral Sciences.”
3. Once you have identified the course, look to the right side of the screen.
4. Under the column labelled “Completion Report,” click on “View/Print”. There will be a download-button on the top right of the screen (next to the icon of a printer). Download this PDF document and save it in your records.
5. If you are a student, upload your PDF document to the corresponding assignment on your course’s Blackboard page.
6. For all others, using your stonybrook.edu email address, e-mail the PDF of the completion report to the appropriate administrator as specified in the policy.

Congratulations!
You have completed the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI program) training on Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)-Ignore the “Expiration Date.” You only need to complete this course once.