IACUC Certification of Research Personnel

Faculty, researchers and staff who work with vertebrate animals or tissues must be certified by the IACUC as having adequate knowledge and experience to perform their duties.

Below are the instructions and documents required for IACUC certification of personnel using animals or animal tissues.

There are four documents required for IACUC Certification.

1. Health and Risk Assessment

1. With the assistance of your Principal Investigator (PI), complete Health and Risk Assessment for Employee Safety in the Care and Use of Animals
2. Sign/date and have your PI sign this form.
3. Scan and save this form as a PDF.

2. Orientation

A. Complete and sign the appropriate orientation form.

1. Orientation for a specific animal facility-contact your animal facility manager to schedule a facility-specific orientation. To access an animal facility, personnel must complete and sign the Request for Facility Orientation of New Research Personnel Using Animals and Schedule Facility Orientation of Research Staff and submit to the animal facility manager. During your orientation the facility manger will assist you in completion of the Facility Orientation of Research Staff form documenting completion of this process and providing you a completed signed copy.
2. Orientation for Field and Wildlife Research Staff- Faculty, researchers and staff planning studies of wildlife in natural settings must complete and sign the Orientation of Field and Wildlife Research Staff form and save a copy.
3. Orientation for Personnel using Animal Tissue Outside Facilities - Faculty, researchers and staff planning studies that only using animal tissues in areas outside of animal facilities must complete and sign the Orientation of Research Personnel using Animal Tissue Outside Facilities form and save a copy.

B. Scan and save the completed relevant orientation form as a PDF.

3. Certificate of Online AALAS or CITI Training

The IACUC has tailored an online training course specific for USF researchers entitled “Laws, Regulations, Policies, and the Guide — USF Orientation” through the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) Learning Library. Every three years, all Investigators and research staff who work with animals must complete this AALAS course.

1. Request an AALAS learning library account from IACUC@research.usf.edu
2. Complete the AALAS Learning Library training module entitled "Laws, Regulations, Policies, and the Guide - USF Orientation" which can be accessed at http://www.aalaslearninglibrary.org/. Here are the instructions for navigating through the AALAS website: Instructions
3. Print, scan, and save as a PDF, the certificate of completion.

Note: for James A Haley VA hospital affiliated staff, the CITI Online Training is acceptable in lieu of this AALAS module.

Curriculum Vitae or Résumé

Your CV, biosketch, or résumé which details your education/degrees, licenses, certifications, research experience with animals, presentations, and/or publications should be scanned and saved as a PDF.

Uploading IACUC Certification documents into eIACUC through the Online ARC system

The USF IACUC now process certifications through its electronic system (eIACUC) which is located within Applications for Research Compliance (ARC) system.

1. Create an ARC account

1. To create a new ARC account visit the ARC website at https://ARC.research.usf.edu/prod/. Questions regarding ARC registration can be directed to (813) 974-2880 or RSCH-arc@usf.edu.
2. Click Register Here on the right hand side of the page
3. Complete the required fields ( * ) and provide your USF Net ID, Employee ID, and USF or affiliate email address
4. Select all relevant roles, such as Study Staff/Study Team (e.g. PI)
5. Click Register
6. Within two business days your new account will be activated and you will receive an e-mail containing your account information (i.e., User Name & Temporary Password)

2. Update your Researcher Profile with the ARC system and upload the four (4) PDF documents described above.

1. Login to ARC and click the Profile tab on your Personal Page https://ARC.research.usf.edu/prod/
2. Click on your Profile Link.
3. Click on "Edit Researcher Profile" on your Profile page.
4. Make sure you select IACUC on the first page. Continue through until you reach the "Animal Researcher Training & Experience" page.
5. Add relevant Animal Experience and upload the appropriate IACUC required documents. (i.e. AALAS online training certificate entitled “Laws, Regulations, Policies, & the Guide–USF Orientation”, facility orientation, CV/Resume and Health and Risk Assessments

An IACUC coordinator will validate that all four uploads have been accomplished and, if relevant, inform the facility manager that security access to facilities should be granted.

eIACUC training videos to assist you in the IACUC certification in the ARC system

Interactive web-based training videos have been developed with the latest technology in order to provide you an intuitive way to familiarize yourself with the functionality of the eIACUC system. Please take a few minutes and watch these short tutorial videos explaining how to obtain and update your ARC eIACUC account:

1. How to create an account: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLVEpDDUxF4&feature=BFa&list=HL1344009301
2. Login into ARC and Make Account Changes for eIACUC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbtiDUGjvtA&feature=BFa&list=HL1344009301
3. How to update your researcher profile: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5kJMfxh50s

James A. Haley VA Hospital Training

All research staff (VA and non-VA) participating in animal projects at the James A. Haley VA Hospital (JAHVA) animal facility must complete the web-based training modules listed below. This training requirement includes all research technicians and investigators at the JAHVA.

Training is required prior to approval of all animal protocols. Training is required biennially thereafter. The training is available from the (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) website located at www.citiprogram.org

"Working with the VA IACUC" ...This module must be completed by all VA research staff that use animals.

The second training required is the module associated with the species of research animal that is being used. If more than one species is being used by a research team, then more than one species module will have to be completed (by each member of the team), e.g., "Introduction to Mice" and "Introduction to Rats."

A copy of the certification of completion is to be provided to Savier.Avila@va.gov

VA R&D Office JAHVH Room 205, mail code 151 or by fax 813-631-3443.

JAHVA CITI training is acceptable in lieu of the USF ALL course.

IACUC Re-Certification of Personnel

Annually, all IACUC-certified personnel will be prompted by the ARC system to review and update all information in their personnel profile, including their Health and Risk Assessment for Employee Safety in the Care and Use of Animals to retain certification by the IACUC.

Triennially, all IACUC-certified personnel will be prompted by the ARC system to resubmit two (2) newly completed forms, each saved as a PDF:
Form CMDC 014 entitled "Health and Risk Assessment for Employee Safety in the Care and Use of Animals," and a
Certificate of completion of the AALAS Learning Library course entitled "Laws, Regulations, Policies, and the Guide - USF Orientation."

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