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Office of Research & Development

Required training for staff involved in the use of animals in research

Personnel who participate in or supervise research that involves laboratory animals.

All personnel who participate in or supervise research that involves laboratory animals must complete "Working with the IACUC" at least every three years. Completion of "Working with the VA IACUC" before November 7, 2014, satisfies requirement until the completion certificate earned expires, three years after completion.

They must also complete at least every three years each species-specific course that is relevant to their work.

Working with Cats in Research Settings
Working with Dogs in Research Settings
Working with Rats in Research Settings
Working with Mice in Research Settings
Working with Guinea Pigs in Research Settings
Working with Rabbits in Research Settings
Working with Hamsters in Research Settings
Working with Gerbils in Research Settings
Working with Swine in Research Settings
Working with Non-Human Primates in Research Settings
Working with Amphibians in Research Settings
Working with Ferrets in Research Settings

If your station wants to utilize alternate training to satisfy VA training requirements, please contact the CVMO. The station will be asked to document how each item addressed in the CITI courses above will be covered in the alternate training. Education goals for web-based training will be considered met when personnel are able to pass an exam that covers important topics in the training. The exam must be of sufficient difficulty to provide some assurance that important concepts have been learned. Alternate training will only be acceptable if approved by the CVMO.

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IACUC Members and IACUC support staff (IACUC administrators, coordinators, etc.).

Personnel that serve on or provide support to either any VA Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of record, regardless of whether it is an independent IACUC administered by the station itself, or it is an external committee hosted by another institution, must take the following web-based training at least every three years:

Essentials for IACUC Members

Training Exercises (optional).

The table below provides access to a library of the optional training exercises that have been developed by the Office of the CVMO and distributed periodically to the field. (Unless noted otherwise, the files below are in Word format.)

Exercise/Series Number	Title	Release Date (original)	Description
4-2022	Semiannual Evaluations - Post-Review Documentation Semiannual Report Part 3, for reference	12/22/22	Documentation needed to finish off the semiannual evaluation process
3-2022	Semiannual Evaluations - Plan of Corrective Action	11/28/22	Deciding on corrective action for bedding observed on a housing room floor
2-2022	Semiannual Evaluations - Plan of Corrective Action	7/26/22	Deciding on corrective action for overheating of a housing room
1-2022	Semiannual Evaluations - Facility Inspection	5/24/22	Deciding whether deficiencies are minor or significant
4-2021	Possibly Reportable Matters – Drafting a Report	12/29/21	What to keep in mind when drafting a report; a summary of steps to be taken when addressing possibly reportable matters
3-2021	Possibly Reportable Matters – Decisions about Corrective Actions and Reportability	12/29/21	What to consider when deciding on appropriate corrective actions and reportability
2-2021	Possibly Reportable Matters – Notifications and Reports	12/29/21	The difference between a notification and a report, and what should be included in each
1-2021	Possibly Reportable Matters – First Steps	12/29/21	What to do when something comes up that might be reportable
4-2020	Signatures	12/30/20	What functions do the signatures on IACUC documents serve?
3-2020	Level 2 score	12/28/20	What should the IACUC do about a protocol with a Level 2 score in JIT?
2-2020	JIT Notes	12/28/20	What should the IACUC do with notes provided instead of the usual review comments, for a project in JIT?
1-2020	Virtual AAALAC Site Visit	10/28/20	What does a virtual AAALAC site visit involve?
4-2019	Cage Sanitation Considerations	12/29/19	Is it really okay not to change cages for 14 days?
3-2019	Thoughts about Tethering	12/29/19	Is tethering a restraint that has to be reported as a departure from the Guide?
2-2019	Which Category - Part 2	12/21/19	Assigning animals to USDA categories
1-2019	Which Category - Part 1	10/21/19	Criteria for assigning animals to USDA categories
4-2018	Protocol Documentation - Methods of Euthanasia	12/26/18	What makes a proposed method of euthanasia "acceptable"?
3-2018	Protocol Documentation - Relevance and Harm/Benefit Analysis	12/26/18	What is the ACORP really asking for in Item B?
2-2018	Reporting Noncompliance, Part II	6/6/18	What to do about reporting after the IACUC has investigated and made a determination about reportability
1-2018	Reporting Noncompliance, Part I	5/7/18	What to do about reporting when someone first notices something that might be noncompliant with regulatory requirements.
4-2017	Average Daily Census	12/15/17	Understanding the concept of "average daily census" and how to calculate it
3-2017	Animal use justification	10/31/17	Making sure that animal use protocols explain clearly why the use of animals is necessary
2-2017	USDA Annual Report	10/12/17	Ensure that animal numbers are reported accurately in the USDA Annual Report
1-2017	Cage Washer Safety	5/26/17	What to check for, to make sure that the cage washer can be used safely
4-2016	Protocol Expiration	12/28/16	What happens when an investigator accidentally allows his protocol to expire
3-2016	The NAM and NSM	12/22/16	Determine whether candidates for IACUC membership must be disqualified from serving in the role of NAM or NSM.
2-2016	Appendix 9 and Surgical Site Preparation	6/24/16	Practice deciding what to do about Appendix 9, with regard to preparation of a surgical site for a nonsurvival procedure
1-2016	Appendix 9 and Trio Breeding	6/24/16	Practice deciding what to do about Appendix 9, with regard to trio breeding
4-2015	Appendix 9 and Methods of Euthanasia	12/31/15	Practice deciding what to do about Appendix 9, with regard to methods of euthanasia
3-2015	Appendix 9 and Single Housing	12/24/15	Practice deciding what to do about Appendix 9, with regard to single housing
2-2015	VVC	5/20/15	A new method for approving significant changes to approved protocols, Veterinary Verification & Consultation.
1-2015	How Many Departures?	4/10/15	A protocol with multiple possible deviations and/or departures to address.
4-2014	Animal disposition	12/31/14	This exercise discusses the transfer of animals between two IACUC approved protocols and the concern an external accrediting agency identifies.
3-2014	MOUs MOUs - a Story	10/29/14	Why it's important to have an MOU in place.
2-2014	Calculating CO2 Flow as Percent of Chamber Volume	7/7/14	How to calculate the flow meter readings (in L/min) that correspond to 10%-30% displacement of chamber volume per minute.
1-2014	Semiannual Evaluation Report	3/4/14	Reviews the rules about whose signatures are needed on the report of each semiannual evaluation.
4-2013	Rabbit Housing Deviation	12/30/13	Another look at Guide deviations and departures. This exercise has been reviewed and approved by OLAW.
3-2013	More about Guide Deviations and Departures	10/29/13	Four scenarios illustrating specifically established Guide exceptions and approved departures
2-2013	Rodent CO2 Euthanasia	5/21/13	Reviews the "dos" and "don'ts" of carbon dioxide euthanasia in rats.
1-2013	OLAW Annual Report	1/11/13	Reviews highlights of the webinar presented by OLAW in December 2012 on how to correctly complete and submit the new annual report form.
4-2012	Suspension, Termination, Stop (170 KB, PPT)	12/31/12	Reviews terminology, explains which entity has the authority to take these actions, and clarifies reporting requirements.
3-2012	Deviations and Departures (728, PPT)	12/26/12	Categorizing deviations and departures from the 8^th Edition of the Guide can be challenging; this scenario reviews example cases, reporting requirements and flowcharts to aid the IACUC in making appropriate determinations.
2-2012	New Semiannual Evaluation Forms o Part 1 - Checklist, Section A. Review of the Program o Part 1 - Checklist, Section B. Inspection of the Facilities o PART 2 - Table of Deficiencies and Departures o PART 3 - Post-Review Documentation	5/10/12	The CVMO's Office has developed new semiannual evaluation forms to assist stations in complying with the 8^th Edition of the Guide. The new forms reflect the new Guide's recommendations and recent modifications to VHA Handbook 1200.07.
1-2012	Rabbit Housing	2/29/12	This scenario uses the new space standards for rabbits as an example of the thought process that can be applied to addressing implementation of the 8^th Edition of the Guide for other species.
4-2011	Overview of the 8^th Edition of the Guide	12/1/11	Outlines the major topics in each new 8^th Edition of the Guide chapter and notes new and/or expanded topics. New "must" statements are summarized in a table by chapter and page number.
3-2011	IACUC Composition	9/5/11	Poses the question of which nominees to the IACUC are eligible to fill the vacant lay member and nonaffiliated member positions.
2-2011	Pain & Distress Categories Scenario, Reference	7/19/11	The IACUC must consider the potential for pain and distress in research studies. Assignment to the appropriate category is particularly challenging when working with animal models of chronic diseases.
1-2011	IACUC Minutes Content	5/17/11	IACUC minutes should accurately reflect attendance, committee activities, deliberations, and outcomes of discussions; the inclusion of extraneous information should be avoided.

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Office of Research & Development

Required training for staff involved in the use of animals in research

Personnel who participate in or supervise research that involves laboratory animals.

IACUC Members and IACUC support staff (IACUC administrators, coordinators, etc.).

Training Exercises (optional).

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