The WashU Responsible Conduct of Research policy outlines required RCR training at the university. The policy aligns with many sponsor requirements, but it is important to fully understand the training requirements for your sponsor, program, and award.

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NIH Requirements

NIH requires that all trainees, fellows, participants, and scholars receiving support through any NIH training, career development award (individual or institutional), research education grant, and dissertation research grant must receive face-to-face instruction in responsible conduct of research. (NOT-OD-10-019)

NIH researchers subject to RCR requirements must receive at least 8 hours of qualifying RCR education per career stage, but at least every 4 years.

NIH-Qualifying RCR Training Sessions

Many groups offer live trainings that qualify for RCR hours for NIH researchers. Open sessions are posted to the Research Events Calendar (RCR Category).

Research Education & Information (REI) hosts training throughout the year:

• Annual workshop (4 hours)
  • Held in person on the School of Medicine Campus, generally in spring
  • Attendees must attend the full session (4 hours) to receive credit. No partial hours are given.
• Training seminars (1-2 hours per session)
  • In person or virtual
  • Held throughout the year

Other groups at WashU offer RCR sessions at various times. Departments may also hold their own training sessions.

• Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)
• Clinical Research Training Center (CRTC)
• Becker Library

Know of an RCR training open to WashU but not posted to the Events Calendar? Email rei@wusm.wustl.edu.

Check RCR hours

Department administrators can run reports in Workday Learning  to determine the number of qualifying RCR hours logged. Guidance is posted on RCR Training Reporting for Administrators.

A report is being developed in Workday that allows researchers to export their own RCR hours.

Some departments may keep training records outside of Workday Learning, so reported hours may not always reflect all training. Departments are responsible for maintaining complete records for each NIH award that is subject to RCR requirements.

RCR Training Submission form

Research Education and Information (REI) will load past sessions of RCR training into Workday upon request. Follow the process on the RCR Submission Form page.

REI does not load individual completions. If you attended a training that is not logged in Workday, ask the host of the event to submit attendance records and presentation materials through the submission form.

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NSF and USDA Requirements

The Responsible Conduct of Research online course has seven modules related to conducting ethical, responsible and secure research.

1. Introduction
2. Research Integrity
3. Mentorship
4. Study Design and Data
5. Research Security
6. Authorship and Publication
7. Peer Review

The course is assigned to personnel paid by NSF. USDA researchers must self-enroll and complete the course.

For RCR requirements, this course is required one time only. The RCR Online Course also meets Research Security Training Requirements which are required more frequently.

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Other RCR Training Resources

There are many RCR training resources online. On-demand training (recorded videos, websites, online training, etc.) typically do not meet sponsors’ RCR requirements. They may be helpful to reference as supplemental training that will increase researchers’ knowledge.

Office of Research Integrity (ORI)

Interactive movies

• The Research Clinic: Become the lead characters in an interactive movie and make decisions about integrity in research that can have long-term consequences. The simulation addresses Responsible Conduct of Research topics such as avoiding research misconduct, mentorship responsibilities, handling of data, responsible authorship, and questionable research practices.
• The Lab: This interactive training video educates clinical and social researchers on the importance of appropriately protecting research subjects and avoiding research misconduct. The Research Clinic allows the viewer to assume the role of one of four characters and determines the outcome of the storyline by selecting decision-making choices for each “playable” character.

Other ORI Resources

• Introduction to RCR
• RCR Case Studies
• Video Case Studies
• Infographics

NIH

• Research Misconduct
• Annual Review of Ethics Case Studies
• Department of Bioethics

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Contacts

Questions about RCR? Email rei@wusm.wustl.edu