Required Education

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program

All investigators and key research personnel must complete human subject protection education requirements before initiating human subject research. Documentation of this education must be on file with Carle IRB before a study can be approved. This applies to new projects and to ongoing projects at the time of annual IRB review.

The Carle IRB utilizes web-based education courses through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program. The materials and courses are designed to educate researchers in topics specific to biomedical research. Education Certificates from CITI are sent automatically to the Carle CITI Administrator.

Once initial training requirements are met, all Carle-affiliated investigators and key research personnel must complete continuing education in human subject protection every two years via the Carle Foundation Hospital CITI Refresher Course.

For University of Illinois researchers seeking to conduct research involving Carle, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign CITI training certificates may be accepted. However, additional Research and HIPAA Privacy Protections and Carle Foundation Hospital Policy Training modules may be required. 

Target audience: All investigators and key research personnel

Instructions: CITI Training Aid

Duration: Basic Course, 4-6 hours 

Contact: Carle CITI Administrator | IRB@carle.com | (217) 326-4509

Good Clinical Practice

Effective January 1, 2017, National Institutes of Health (NIH) expects all NIH-funded investigators and clinical trial staff involved in design, conduct, oversight or management of clinical trials to be trained in Good Clinical Practice (GCP).

Target audience: All NIH-funded investigators and clinical trial staff

Instructions: GCP training can be obtained through the CITI program or at NIH

Duration: Approximately 6 hours 

Contact: IRB@carle.com | (217) 326-4509

Helpful Education

The following training courses are available to researchers and students across the organization. The list is updated regularly and is representative, but not exhaustive.

Human Subjects Protection Program Seminar Series

Opportunities for researchers and team members to connect and engage with Institutional Review Board (IRB) leadership and staff. Session content is topical and designed to be accessible and concise, providing relevant information specific to Carle IRB, including IRB forms/templates, submission requirements and review processes.

Target audience: Anyone interested in conducting research at/with Carle

Time of year: Year-round

Frequency: First Wednesday of every month 

Duration: 11 – 11:30 a.m. 

Contact: IRB@carle.com

Nursing Clinical Inquiry

Offers online resources, mentoring/consultation, EBP internship and continuing education on topics related to nursing EBP and research for all Carle sites. Some on-line resources are made available beyond Carle for students and professional nurses. The Nursing Clinical Inquiry conference is held once a year and covers a range of topics related to best practices in nursing EBP and research.

Target audience: Nurses and allied health professionals

Time of year: Year-round; conference in the winter

Frequency: By request; conference annually

Duration: Variable; conference is full day

Contact: Lori.VanWingerden@carle.com or Research@carle.com.

Nursing students contact: Student.Clinicals@carle.com

Grants Administration Office

Offers education on budget development, proposal submission, post award requirements, and policies and best practices to properly manage grant funded activities.

Target audience: Anyone intending to submit a grant proposal. May include prospective principal investigators and project directors, department leads with fiduciary responsibilities and related accounting staff.

Time of year: By request

Frequency: By request

Duration: By request

Contact: Grants@carle.com

Investigator Initiated Research Services

Offers education on research methodology, statistics, data management, etc.

Target audience: Carle physicians, residents, students, SFCRI staff

Time of year: Year-round

Frequency: By request

Duration: One hour each

Contact: Emily.Wee@carle.com

Lunch-n-Learn Seminar Series

Offers learning opportunities on a wide range of research-related topics. 

Target audience: Carle staff

Time of year: Year-round

Frequency: Third Monday of every month

Duration: 30-60 minutes

Contact: Lori.Zunich@carle.com

Carle Library

Offers education on conducting literatures searches and scholarly communication (selecting a journal, using EQUATOR guidelines, avoiding predatory journals, publishing ethics).

Target audience: Carle staff

Time of year: Year-round

Frequency: By request. Ongoing workshop series can be offered.

Duration: Flexible – brief “info bites” or one-hour classes

Contact: library.request@carle.com 

Writing and Submitting Competitive NIH Grants

Target audience: Principal investigators and senior research leaders from Carle; principal investigators from the University of Illinois who are proposing research involving either biomedical imaging or collaborations with Carle.

Time of year: Spring 

Frequency: Biennial. Next course to be offered in 2025.

Duration: One hour, once a week for 5 months 

Contact: Bruce.Damon@carle.com