*Giving to CUNY Colleges*Macaulay Honors College * Online Baccalaureate * CUNY TV
Find People
FAQ


How does CITI work?

On your first visit to CITI, you will find the home page menu of options. After registering, you will select one of five Learner Groups - Social and Behavioral; Biomedical; Graduate Student; Undergraduate Student; IRB Member or Staff. CITI will remember your password, learner group and grade book score. Each time you log in, CITI's Grade Book will show you your status. After completing all the modules in your learner group, CITI will provide you with a certificate if your overall grade is 80% or higher. You are allowed to go back in the module to review and retake a quiz. The certificate will indicate which Learner Group you completed.

Who must take the CITI training modules?

All CUNY researchers and key personnel involved in human subjects research, regardless of whether the research is funded or not funded, are required to successfully complete the CITI computer based training. Many graduate and undergraduate students will be required to complete the CITI training based on involvement in research projects or research-related course work. CUNY will only accept CITI certificates from new researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students. Current researchers holding a CUNY CBT certificate will have a two-year grace period from the date of their CBT certificate in which to complete the CITI modules. After June 30, 2007, CBT certificates will no longer be accepted from anyone. IRB Members and Staff must also complete the CITI course.

I am an IRB Member. I have a CBT certificate. Do I have to complete the CITI modules?

Yes. IRB Members must complete the IRB Members and Staff learner group requirements.

I am a member of the IRB Staff. I have a CBT certificate. Do I have to complete the CITI modules?

Yes. IRB Members and Staff have the same requirement. IRB Staff must complete the IRB Members and Staff learner group requirements.

I completed the Graduate Student modules and now I am a PI. What do I do?

Log on to CITI. Click on View/Update your Learner Group and click on Update Groups . From here, you may change your Learner Group to the new group (Social and Behavioral or Biomedical). The required modules will be displayed in your Course Completion History (formerly Grade Book) and you will see the additional modules you must complete.

I completed the Social and Behavioral (or Biomedical) modules and now I am an IRB member. What do I do?

Log on to CITI. Click on View/Update your Learner Group and click on Update Groups. From here, you may change your Learner Group to the IRB Members and Staff Learner Group. The required modules will be displayed in your Course Completion History (formerly Grade Book) and you will see the additional modules you must complete.

What happened to the old CBT?

The old CBT disappeared forever on June 30, 2005. After that date, CBT certificates are not retrievable.

Is my CBT certificate good?

CBT certificates will be accepted for two years from the date of the CBT certificate, and no later than June 30, 2007. You will be responsible for providing a copy of your certificate with EVERY IRB submission. IRB Offices will not have copies of old certificates.

Do certificates expire?

Yes. All CBT certificates expire two years from the date of the CBT certificate, and no later than June 30, 2007. CITI certificates expire 3 years from the completion date. At that time, you must take the refresher course. CITI will automatically contact you to remind you that it is time to take the refresher course.

When do I need my CITI certificate?

Before approval may be granted on any IRB protocol (regardless of funding), you must submit either your current CBT certificate (until two years from the date of your CBT certificate) or your CITI certificate. A current CITI (or CBT) certificate must be attached to every IRB application after July 1, 2005. It is now your responsibility to provide the certificate to the IRB with every IRB application.

I completed the CITI required modules. However, I lost my new CITI certificate. What do I do?

 

Log on to CITI (https://www.citiprogram.org). Go to Completion Reports and print a new certificate.

I forgot my CITI password. What do I do?

Log on to CITI (https://www.citiprogram.org). Go to Forgot Username or Password . They will give you your password information. CITI keeps your email and password information.

What is a Learner Group? Which Learner Group do I select?

A Learner Group is a designation for CUNY researchers, key personnel , and students to be directed to the appropriate set of modules. There are five CUNY Learner Groups:

  • Social and Behavioral - this group is designed for researchers and key personnel who do not engage in Biomedical research
  • Biomedical - this group is designed for researchers and key personnel who do engage in Biomedical research
  • Graduate student - this group is designed for masters and doctoral level students engaged in research or research practica, regardless if the research is Social and Behavioral, or
  • Undergraduate Student - this group is designed for undergraduate students who may be engaged in research or a research methods class
  • IRB Members and Staff - this group is designed to meet one of the requirements that IRB members and staff receive comprehensive continuing education.

What do you mean by Biomedical Research or Social and Behavioral Research?

According to Amdur and Bankert, biomedical science focuses on human physiology and the treatment or understanding of disease, or the application of the principles of natural sciences to medicine . Behavioral and social science are used interchangeably to mean the study of human society and of individual relationships in, and to, society. Social and behavioral research is usually conducted in such academic disciples as sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, and history. (Amdur, R, and Bankert, E. Institutional Review Board: Management and Function, 2002, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, page 105.) Social and behavioral research is also conducted in areas such as education, epidemiology and public health, marketing, oral history, ethnography, criminal justice, religion, and social services.

CITI is more time consuming. Do I have to do it all at once?

No.

How long will this take?

Each module is followed by a few short questions. Anticipate 2-5 hours, depending on your Learner Group, to complete the required modules. The modules may be completed in multiple sessions. You do not have to complete them all at once. CITI will keep track of where you are each time you log out.

Some modules look more interesting than others. Why can't I do them in the order I want to? I would like to skip around.

CITI is structured for the required modules to be taken in order, in many cases one building upon the last. Once you complete the required modules, you may take any or all of the optional modules in the sequence you prefer.

What is the Course Completion History ?

CITI keeps track of your progress in what is called a Course Completion History. You can click on the Course Completion History to see how many modules you have completed, your score, and the date you completed each one. Also, the Course Completion History shows you which required modules you have yet to complete, and provides a list of optional modules you may complete after you have successfully finished the required modules.

What am I being graded on?

In order to receive a CITI certificate, you must pass a quiz at the end of each module. An overall score of 80% or better is needed to receive your certificate. The completion certificate does not show your grade; only the Course Completion History shows it. The Course Completion History is available to you for viewing or to print out.

Do I need to keep a copy of the certificate?

Yes, you must submit a copy of your certificate with every IRB application. CUNY campus IRBs will no longer receive an electronic notification of your training. It is now your responsibility to provide the certificate to the IRB with every IRB application. CITI makes it easy for you to retrieve a copy of your certificate.

Who are key personnel?

Key personnel refers to all individuals responsible for the design or conduct of a study. Key Personnel includes all study staff- from principal investigators to field interviewers to most support personnel (e.g., data entry specialists, individuals contacting subjects for scheduling purposes). Faculty advisors are considered Key Personnel.

My professor said I must do CITI as part of my coursework. How do I do it?

When entering the CITI site, select either Graduate Student or Student as your learner group. The student modules cover the basics of human subjects research. Certificates from the student learner groups will not be accepted for Principal Investigators (PIs). When you become a PI, you must complete the Social and Behavioral learner group, or the Biomedical learner group. The Graduate Student certificate is valid for graduate students who are, or become, key personnel, but not who become PIs or co-PIs.

Is CITI available in any languages other than English?

CITI modules are available in Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Arabic will soon be available. This will be of great use to your international collaborators and key personnel who do not read English. To access the international site, go to http://www.irbtraining.org.

I am from another institution. I have completed training at my institution. Will you accept this training?

CUNY will accept the CITI certificate from any other institution provided it is less than three years old. CITI now consolidates your training from multiple institutions.

Are any continuing education credits available after I complete the CITI course?

YES. Accreditation is available for:

  • Physician CME Credit
  • Psychology Credit
  • Nursing contact hours

Go to http://www.citiprogram.org/citidocuments/cme/cmepage.htm for more information.

How do I find CITI?

CITI's homepage is located at https://www.citiprogram.org. CITI's FAQs can be found at https://www.citiprogram.org/citidocuments/faq.htm

How do I get more information about CITI?

http://www.citiprogram.org/citidocuments/admin/SACHRP1pb.ppt

Help! Whom can I contact?

If you are having problems with the CITI site or course, contact the CITI Office at citisupport@med.miami.edu or at 305 243-7970. If you have questions about the CUNY requirements, contact your local IRB office or the Office of Research Conduct, at 212.794.5428.

 
 
Copyright CUNY 2008   *  Security/Privacy Policy   *  Accessibility   *  Terms of Use   *  Site Map