Clinical Research Foundations Training
The UT Southwestern Clinical Research Foundations Training Program is the self-paced, online educational component of the Foundations Training Curriculum. The program is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of foundational research knowledge and ensure that research personnel have a consistent and standardized foundational understanding of the requirements to successfully deliver clinical research.
If you have any questions about whether you are required to complete the Clinical Research Foundations CITI training, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) or email us.
Who Is Required To Take the Clinical Research Foundations Training?
Researchers who are new to UT Southwestern and were hired into the job titles below will be required to take Clinical Research Foundations training and mentoring as part of their onboarding process.
The online, self-paced training should be completed within 30 days of receipt of your onboarding email from the Office of Clinical Research.
- Job Titles
Job Code Job Title 2501 CLIN RESCH ASSIST I 2502 CLIN RESCH ASSIST II 2503 CLIN RESCH ASSIST LEAD 2504 CLIN RESCH COORD I 2505 CLIN RESCH COORD II 2506 CLIN RESCH COORD LEAD 2507 SUPV CLIN RESCH 4367 MGR CLIN RESCH 4362 MGR RESCH PRGMS 4379 PROJECT MANAGER CLINICAL RESEARCH 1037 RESCH RN 1035 RESCH RN SR 2508 SUPERVISOR RESEARCH NURSE 2509 MANAGER RESEARCH NURSE 9713 ADVANCED PRACTICE RESEARCH NURSE
Note: The Clinical Research Foundations Mentoring Program, which pairs an experienced clinical researcher (mentor) with a new member of the clinical research team (mentee), is designed to be completed over several months and does not need to be completed within the 30-day window.
Although this training is required for new research hires, all staff are welcome to view the materials to reinforce their own learning and understanding. To access the contents of this training as an existing staff member, please review the information below.
Additionally, departments can assign this training to staff members as needed.
Clinical Research Foundations Training Courses
How Can I Access the Clinical Research Foundations Training?
If you are required to complete the full Clinical Research Foundations Training curriculum:
The Clinical Research Foundations Training is hosted on the CITI program platform. In order to access the course, log in to your CITI account and answer yes to Question 4: “Will you be performing any research-related duties as part of your job (e.g., Clinical Research Assistant, Clinical Research Coordinator, etc.)?” Doing so will automatically populate your account with the required training.
The online, self-paced training should be completed within 30 days of receipt of your onboarding email from the Office of Clinical Research.
For further details on accessing the training, please refer to the Clinical Research Foundations CITI Tip Sheet.
If you are not required to complete the full Clinical Research Foundations Training curriculum and wish to view any videos on an ad-hoc basis, please follow the links below to review the resources:
- Scientific Principles of Clinical Research
- Introduction to Clinical Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Affiliates
Helpful Resources
- Clinical Research Foundations Training Curriculum: This document explains all the components of the Clinical Research Foundations Training Program, with brief descriptions for each segment.
- Clinical Research Handbook: This handbook is intended to accompany and complement the Clinical Research Foundations Curriculum and to serve as an additional resource.
- Clinical Research Foundations CITI Tip Sheet: This document gives tips on registering for CITI and completing the Clinical Research Foundations course.
- Clinical Research Foundations Training SOP: This SOP outlines the Clinical Research Foundations Training Program policies and procedures.
This program was created with support from the Human Research Protections Program (HRPP), the Office of Clinical Research (OCR), and the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program.
Clinical Research Handbook
In addition to the above modules, all staff have access to the handbook “Clinical Research Handbook: A Guide to Conducting Clinical Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Affiliates,” which is intended to accompany and complement the above recordings and to serve as an additional resource with searchable features and active links throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is there a need for clinical research training?
The UT Southwestern Clinical Research Foundations Training Curriculum is designed to provide comprehensive education to all clinical research personnel at point of hire and to ensure research personnel have a consistent foundational understanding of the requirements to successfully deliver clinical research. This curriculum is based on core clinical research competencies that will set the standard for all incoming researchers to quickly learn the fundamentals for conducting research at UT Southwestern and its partners.
- How long will this training take me to complete?
The complete Clinical Research Foundations course will take approximately eight to 12 hours to complete; this includes all presentation and CITI modules. You do not need to complete all the training in one sitting; this is a self-paced, online course designed to fit around your other onboarding activities, and the system will save your progress.
You are, however, required to complete the entire CITI course within 30 days of receiving your onboarding email from the Office of Clinical Research. If you do not complete the course within 30 days, this will be escalated to leadership and further steps may be taken. If you have any questions about this policy, please email us.
- I am a newly hired clinical researcher at UTSW. I was not assigned this training. Do I still need to take it?
The Clinical Research Foundations Training is currently only mandatory for individuals hired into certain clinical research job titles, either as a new hire or as a transfer from a non-research to a clinical research role. See a list of these roles. If your title fits one of these categories and you have not received an email within five days of your date of hire or promotion, then please email us. If your job title is not listed but you are interested in taking this training, please feel free to access the curriculum through either the CITI website or the training resources website.
- I am a researcher with years of experience at another institution as a CRC. However, I'm new to UTSW. Do I still need to take this training?
First, welcome to UT Southwestern! We are excited that you have joined our institution as a clinical researcher. If you are currently onboarding at UT Southwestern and your job title is on this list, then you will need to complete the Clinical Research Foundations Training through the CITI website within 30 days of your "Welcome" email from the Office of Clinical Research. The Clinical Research Foundations Training Curriculum is designed not only to provide a foundational understanding of clinical research practices but also to put the information into context on how to conduct clinical research at UT Southwestern Medical Center and its affiliates. Once you complete the training, you will have a more thorough understanding of all the services available to clinical researchers to help you become more successful in your role.
- I am transitioning from a non-research role (e.g., data analyst) to an active research role (e.g., clinical research assistant). Do I need to do this training?
Yes. If you are changing positions after July 10, 2023, then you will need to complete the training. You should have received an email from us with instructions. If you did not, please email us.
- I am a licensed provider at the hospital (e.g., staff, faculty, etc.). Do I need to take this training?
No, you do not need to take the Clinical Research Foundations Training if you hold a current license to practice at UT Southwestern hospitals and ambulatory clinics and are credentialed through the Medical Staff Office (MSO) or are a Magnet-certified RN. However, we encourage anyone working on clinical research to take this training if they are interested. If you would like to take this training, please feel free to access it through either the CITI website or the training resources website.
- I am having trouble logging in to CITI. Who do I contact?
The CITI website is located at about.citiprogram.org/.
If you are having trouble with your login credentials or need assistance with the CITI website, please contact their Help Desk at 888-529-5929 (8 a.m.-6 p.m. CST, Monday-Friday).
The CITI program has also created this helpful guide for New Learners: Guide to Getting Started (citiprogram.org).
If you are having problems adding the appropriate CITI Clinical Research Foundations course to your list of required training, then refer to the Clinical Research Foundations CITI Tip Sheet. If you still need help, please email us.
- What if I can't finish the training within 30 days?
If you are approaching your 30-day deadline, please notify your supervisor and ask them to email us. Depending on the circumstances, we can make accommodations. We will also need to communicate with your supervisor because this is a requirement for your role, and it may mean you cannot actively work on research studies until this training is complete.
- Once I take this CITI Clinical Research Foundations Training, will I need to renew it again at some point in the future? Is there an expiration to this training?
No. Once you complete the CITI Clinical Research Foundations Training, you will not be required to take it again. It is a one-and-done program with no expiration. Of course, you are always welcome to return to any individual module to review the content again.
- I found a broken hyperlink and/or outdated information in the Clinical Research Handbook. Who do I notify?
We are grateful for all notifications regarding broken hyperlinks, information that is out of date, etc. Please email us and we will ensure this is updated in a timely manner. The Clinical Research Handbook is generally updated in the fall, although significant updates may be included on a rolling basis. A copy of the current handbook can be found here.
This content was last updated on April 18, 2024. For any questions, please CRAadmin@utsouthwestern.edu us.