Stanford
Research Compliance Office

CITI (Tutorial)

Required Tutorial on Human Subject Research Protection and Good Clinical Practice

Stanford provides access to required training through an interactive online tutorial, the CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) Course in The Protection of Human Research Subjects. 

  • CITI Website
    • IMPORTANT:
      CITI training records have been converted to use your SUNet ID and password as your CITI log on information; this ensures a link between your studies in eProtocol and the status of your training. (This does not apply to VA users.)
      Log in to CITI using your SUNet ID and password by following the link to 'Log In Through My Institution.'  (See more detailed instructions below under "Getting Started and Registration"). 
    • Refresher Courses - See instructions for the appropriate CITI Refresher Course (Group 2 or Group 7). Click here to go to the CITI dashboard to login with your SUNet ID.
    • Get Your CITI Completion Certificate

On this page:

Who should take CITI training?

Completion of human subject training should be done by all staff working on a research project (all investigators and other study personnel, including all persons who are responsible for designing and/or conducting research including consenting prospective participants, performing data analysis or reporting activities - NOTE: persons who function solely as administrative contacts with no other study duties need not take the training). It is suggested you take the CITI training before submitting your IRB protocol for approval.

Third party (subcontract) research personnel or consultants must comply with this education requirement as well. They may satisfy this requirement at their home institutions, provided that the IRB is assured of completion of the necessary training. A letter, certificate, or email notification by a representative from the home institution will provide this assurance.

 

Getting Started and Registration

Stanford users:

  • Go to the CITI website to create a CITI account. You will be directed to the Stanford WebLogin - your SUNet ID and Password will be your CITI username and login information.
  • Once logged in, you will be guided to your CITI Main Menu page, where you can choose courses and print completion reports.

If you do not have a SUNet ID, you must request one from your Stanford department before starting CITI training.

VA users:

  • Go to VA's CITI website login, and log in with your CITI username and password.
  • Questions? Call VA Research Administration at (650) 493-5000 x65418

Researchers:

  • Using your Stanford email address ensures a link between your eProtocol application and the status of your training.
  • From the drop-down menu of participating institutions:
    – select "Stanford University" if you are doing research at Stanford (University or Hospital & Clinics) or Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital
    – select "Palo Alto VA" from the “Veterans Affairs” menu if you are VA personnel

To complete the training you must pass all required modules for your Learner Group by gaining at least an 80% average on the module quizzes.

Questions? Email IRB Education

 

General Information about Taking the Coursework

Selecting a Learner Group

There are seven Learner Groups to choose from, with each group reflecting a different research area of focus. Group descriptions are provided when you register for CITI. Choose a Learner Group that best reflects your area of research and responsibilities.

Investigators and research staff:  Group 7 or Group 2, depending on whether medical or nonmedical research is involved:

  • Group 7 - for Medical Research Investigators and Staff, IRB BioMed/GCP covers those conducting research at Stanford Hospital and Clinics or LPCH and Good Clinical Practice training (GCP)
  • Group 2 - for Non-medical Research Investigators and Staff (research conducted in the areas of Education, Psychology, Engineering, Law, Business, Sociology, etc). 

GCP Training for Non-Medical Researchers:  for NIH-funded research meeting the definition of a clinical trial in the areas of Education, Psychology, Engineering, Law, Business, Sociology, etc.

  • Group 10 - For Non-Medical Research Investigators and Staff, (GCP - Social and Behavioral Research Best Practices for Clinical Research)

If you are an IRB member:

  • Group 3 - if you are a member of a medical IRB.
  • Group 4 - if you are a member of a non-medical IRB.

Other groups are for Institutional Officials and Research Compliance Office staff.

 

Timing

Can I complete this training in several sessions?

Yes, you can leave and come back to the site using your login credentials as often as necessary. All completed work is stored.

How often do I have to take this course to keep my training current?

Training is required every three years. You will need to access the CITI tutorial again to take the Refresher course, so make sure you record your username and password for future use. After the first training, you will be prompted 3 months before it expires to do the Refresher Course for that group.

What if I take my Refresher course 'early'?

When you take the Refresher course, your expiration date is three years from date of completion.

Example:  Your current expiration date is in June; CITI sends you an automated reminder three months before, in March.

If you take your Refresher course immediately (in March) your next expiration date will be three years from March (not from June).

 

Transferring Training from Another Institution

  • Transfer CITI training completed at another institution:
    • Login to CITI website (www.citiprogram.org) directly with your CITI or prior institution's login credentials.
    • Click on the link 'Add Institutional Affiliation' and type Stanford in search box.
    • Your completed modules will be recorded in Stanford's database.
      • If issues in transferring: Report the issues to CITI support center  
      • Once the transfer is completed successfully, your CITI trainings will reflect in your account when you login using your SUNetID.
    • Stanford users without a SUNetID must request a one from your Stanford department before starting the transfer of CITI training. 
       
  • Transfer non-CITI training completed at another institution:
    • Contact IRB Education (650-724-7141) to see if your past training can be transferred. Generally, Stanford University will accept comparable Humans Subjects training from other institutions. You will need to provide the IRB your most recent training completion report.
    • When your training expires, register at CITI with Stanford University as your affiliate institution to take the Refresher course.

Obtaining a Copy of the Completion Certificate

You can view and print a copy of your completion certificate by logging into the CITI home page.  At the "Learner's Menu" screen, if the Status heading says:

  • "Passed":  click on the PRINT link under Completion Reports.  This will display a table. Click “Print Completion Report” to print the certificate. 
  • "Not Started - Enter" or "Incomplete - Re-enter":  click on Previous Coursework Completed link, then click on See Coursework Completed.  When the table is displayed, click on the “Print Completion Report” link.

 

What if I have forgotten my username or password?

Your SUNet ID and password are your CITI username and password (except for VA users).

 

What if I have more than one CITI Username?

If you have more than one CITI Username associated with your email addresses, you have more than one account. To merge your accounts, visit the CITI Support Center. 

 

Other questions regarding CITI training?

Email IRB Education.