Animal Care and Use (ACU) Advanced

These courses provide advanced training for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members and other animal care and use personnel.

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About these Courses

The ACU Advanced courses are designed to complement the ACU Core courses, which cover the general principles of the ethical care and use of animals in research, training, and testing.

The IACUC Administration course provides a comprehensive review of IACUC administration, including the IACUC administrator’s specific roles and responsibilities in an animal care and use program. The IACUC Protocol Review course offers in-depth training on conducting protocol reviews. The IACUC Chair discusses the roles and responsibilities of the IACUC chair. Similarly, the Institutional Official: Animal Care and Use course discusses the roles and responsibilities of the institutional official. The Semiannual Evaluations In Depth course provides in-depth training on conducting semiannual evaluations. The Animal Care and Use Quality Assurance (QA) Programs course discusses the importance of a QA program, how to develop a QA program, and the expected outcomes of a QA program.

These courses were written and peer-reviewed by experts.

Language Availability: English

Suggested Audiences: Animal Care and Facility Staff, Faculty, IACUC Administrators, IACUC Chairs, IACUC Members, IACUC Office Staff, Institutional Officials, Investigators, Post-Doctoral Fellows, Research Administrators, Research Assistants, Students, Veterinarians

Basic Courses

Animal Care and Use Quality Assurance (QA) Programs

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Discusses the importance of a QA program, how to develop a QA program, and the expected outcomes of a QA program.

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IACUC Protocol Review

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An in-depth course to train IACUC members on conducting protocol reviews.

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IACUC Administration

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This course provides a comprehensive review of IACUC administration, including the IACUC administrator’s specific roles and responsibilities in an animal care and use program.

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Semiannual Evaluations In Depth

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This course provides IACUC members and administrators with more in-depth information about the conduct of semiannual evaluations.

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Institutional Official: Animal Care and Use

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This course offers training for institutional officials at organizations with an animal research program.

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IACUC Chair

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This course offers training for IACUC chairs.

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FAQs

Do the ACU Advanced courses meet any federal mandates or guidelines?

The ACU Advanced courses are designed to help organizations fulfill federal training mandates and guidelines. The U.S. Government Principles, Health Research Extension Act of 1985, USDA Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, and the PHS Policy all refer to the requirement for appropriately trained, qualified, and experienced personnel, as well as the availability of instruction and training.

Who should take the ACU Advanced courses?

Federal training requirements extend not only to individuals who work with animals but also to those who oversee an animal care and use program. ACU Advanced courses are designed for different members of the animal care and use community.

Course Suggested Audiences
IACUC Administration IACUC Administrators, IACUC Chairs, IACUC Members, IACUC Office Staff, Investigators, Veterinarians
IACUC Protocol Review Faculty, IACUC Administrators, IACUC Chairs, IACUC Members, Research Administrators, Students
IACUC Chair IACUC Chairs
Institutional Official: Animal Care and Use Institutional Officials
Semiannual Evaluations In Depth Animal Care and Facility Staff, IACUC Members, Investigators, Post-Doctoral Fellows, Research Assistants, Students, Veterinarians
Animal Care and Use Quality Assurance (QA) Programs Compliance Professionals, IACUC Administrators, IACUC Members, Institutional Officials, Research Personnel, Researchers

How do the ACU Advanced courses complement the ACU Core courses?

The ACU Core courses cover the general principles of the ethical care and use of animals in research, training, and testing. The ACU Advanced courses expand on the foundational training provided through the ACU Core courses. They address advanced topics and role-specific training for IACUC administrators, IACUC members, IACUC chairs, institutional officials, and other animal care and use personnel.

When should someone consider taking the different ACU Advanced courses?

Each course covers a specific topic and/or role in an animal care and use program. Each organization develops course requirements based on its animal care and use program needs. Please refer to your organization’s training guidelines for more information.

The following table provides highlights important considerations for each course:

Course More Information
IACUC Administration This course reinforces the basic regulations and ethical considerations regarding the care and use of animals used in research, teaching, and/or testing, which a learner may gain in the Working with the IACUC or Essentials for IACUC Members course (see ACU Core for more information). However, it expands on this knowledge by exploring the IACUC administrator’s specific role and responsibilities in the animal care and use program. It covers important areas for IACUC administrators, including IACUC operations, veterinary care, authority, and facility management.
IACUC Protocol Review Protocol review by the IACUC is an essential element of the oversight of research with animals, which is subject to detailed requirements from a variety of regulatory and accreditation sources. Learners will find this course useful as it provides practical guidance on conducting protocol reviews in keeping with the current regulatory requirements and related guidance documents. Completing the Essentials for IACUC Members course is strongly recommended before taking this course. See ACU Core for more information on the Essentials for IACUC Members course.
IACUC Chair This course provides an introduction to the roles and responsibilities of the IACUC chair as guided by federal requirements. It also addresses the IACUC chair’s role and responsibilities during IACUC meetings and additional duties outside of IACUC meetings. Completing the Essentials for IACUC Members course is strongly recommended before taking this course. See ACU Core for more information on the Essentials for IACUC Members course.
Institutional Official: Animal Care and Use This course provides an introduction to the role and responsibilities of the institutional official as guided by federal regulations and various organizational policies and procedures. The course also describes the role of the institutional official as an organizational leader and critical representative of the organization’s animal research program.
Semiannual Evaluations In Depth This course provides IACUC members, administrators, and others involved in animal research, teaching, and testing in-depth information on semiannual evaluations. Helping learners to understand and adhere to semiannual evaluation requirements will ultimately facilitate the improvement of animal care and use programs and facilities. Completion of either the Essentials for IACUC Members or Working with the IACUC course is strongly recommended before taking this course. See ACU Core for more information on the Essentials for IACUC Members and Working with the IACUC courses.
Animal Care and Use Quality Assurance (QA) Programs Effective QA programs help organizations provide ongoing oversight of approved animal activities through a strong partnership of the animal care and use program stakeholders, including researchers. This course discusses the importance of a QA program, how to develop a QA program, and the expected outcomes of a QA program.

 

How long will each course take a learner to complete?

Completion time will vary by learner and course. The modules are designed so learners can complete them in one sitting or multiple sittings, and there is no time limit for any of the activities.

What are the standard recommendations for learner groups?

CITI Program allows organizations to customize their learner groups, which means they can choose the modules their learners need to complete. We can work with an organization’s administrators to determine the learner groups that best fit their organizational needs. Organizations can also choose to use our recommended learner groups.