CITI Training

Human Subjects Protection (HSP) Training

All Key Study Personnel (KSP) at UCSF or its affiliated institutions must complete Human Subjects Protection (HSP) training through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) website. This requirement applies to all Human Subjects Research—including Exempt, Expedited, and Full Board studies. IRB approval of an application is contingent upon completion of this training by all listed personnel. We recommend that anyone involved with human subjects complete CITI training or similar human subjects protection training. 

It is the Principal Investigator’s responsibility to ensure that the list of personnel in the IRB application is current and those listed as Key Study Personnel maintain current CITI Human Subjects Protection Training.

Training is valid for a three-year period. Investigators and staff must renew their training certification before it expires by taking either a refresher course or retaking the full course. Members of the research team who have not completed human subject research protection training may not take part in aspects of the research that involve human subjects or their private identifiable data.

Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Training

All NIH-funded investigators and clinical trial staff involved in the conduct, oversight, or management of clinical trials (per the NIH definition), including principal investigators and clinical staff must complete Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training. The NIH “Policy on Good Clinical Practice Training for NIH Awardees Involved in NIH-funded Clinical Trials” establishes this expectation, consistent with the principles of the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) E6 (R3).

  • Additionally, if the study sponsor, protocol, clinical trial agreement, or any other study-specific documentation requires compliance with ICH-GCP guidelines, then the Principal Investigator is responsible for ensuring GCP training is completed. If unclear whether a study is subject to ICH-GCP requirements, confirm with the sponsor. 

  • Additional resources, such as “When is Compliance with ICH-GCP Required at UCSF?”, are available on the UCSF Office of Ethics and Compliance ICH-GCP webpage. For questions related to ICH-GCP, please contact the Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC).

The Principal Investigator is responsible for identifying which study team members need GCP training.

  • Documentation: Trainees must keep a record of their completed GCP training.
  • Renewal: Training should be refreshed at least every three years to stay current with regulations, standards, and guidelines.

Note: The UCSF IRB does not review or track Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training, and it is not accepted as a substitute for the required Human Subjects Protection (HSP) training. 

Who must complete Human Subjects Training (HSP) training?

All Key Study Personnel (KSP) at UCSF or its affiliated institutions must complete Human Subjects Protection (HSP) training. Key Study Personnel include:

  • The Principal Investigator (PI)
  • Other investigators and research staff directly involved in conducting research with study participants
  • Individuals who use participants’ identifiable private information during the course of research
  • Faculty mentors/advisors who provide direct oversight to Postdoctoral Fellows, Residents, and Clinical Fellows serving as PI on an IRB application
  • IRB members, HRPP staff, and Institutional Officials

Completion Lists

Human Subjects Protection (HSP) - required

Good Clinical Practice (GCP)

Note: If you are a SFVAHCS researcher, please review VA training requirements. 

How to Register on CITI/Transfer courses from another institution

Register and select 'University of California, San Francisco' as your affiliate organization. No learner fee is required so long as you affiliate with UCSF during registration—even if using a non‑UCSF email address.

I have a MyAccess account:

  • Go to MyAccess, search for "Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program)," and follow the prompts. This takes you directly into CITI via Single Sign-On (SSO).

  • Alternatively, go to the CITI login page, select the "Log In Through My Organization" tab, and search for "University of California, San Francisco." You'll be redirected to log in with your MyAccess credentials.

I already have a CITI account but no MyAccess:

  • Go to the CITI login page and log in with your existing CITI username and password.

I'm new to CITI and don't have a MyAccess account:

Transferring courses from another institution

Prior coursework completed at another institution does not automatically fulfill UCSF’s requirements, as each institution selects its own required modules. To receive credit, you must manually transfer your records.

How to Transfer Your Records (For step-by-step instructions, see CITI’s guidance on transferring courses):
  1. Log into the CITI website with your existing credentials
  2. Click “Add Affiliation” on the Welcome page.
  3. Select and search for “University of California, San Francisco.”
  4. Follow the prompts to complete the affiliation.
  5. Enroll in the UCSF courses you want transferred, making sure to select the same stage (Basic or Refresher).

Once you are affiliated with both institutions and enrolled, CITI will automatically compare your completed modules and apply credit.

🛑 Transfer Rules

To ensure your credits transfer successfully, keep the following in mind:

  • Maintain Dual Affiliation: You must remain affiliated with both your previous institution and UCSF.
  • Module Equivalency: Only identical modules will transfer. You must still complete any unique, UCSF-specific modules.
  • Match the Stage: You must enroll in the exact same course stage (Basic or Refresher) at UCSF that you previously completed.

Courses

Courses required for conducting Human Subjects Research at UCSF and affiliated institutions include:

  • Human Subjects Protection (HSP)
  • Good Clinical Practice (GCP)*
Select your courses

You will be given curriculum options.  Some are required, some optional.  

Review the "How do I begin my course?" module for assistance in beginning your courses.

Required

  • Human Subjects Protection (HSP)
  • Good Clinical Practice (GCP)*

*Individuals engaged in the conduct of a NIH-funded clinical trial (per the NIH definition) must complete a Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training. The study’s Principal Investigator is responsible for identifying the staff that should take the training. Recipients of GCP training are expected to retain documentation of their training which should be refreshed at least every three years in order to stay up to date with regulations, standards, and guidelines. UCSF IRB does not review nor track GCP trainings and they are not accepted as a substitute for the required Human Subjects Protection Course.

Refresher Course/Training

The UCSF CITI Human Subjects Protection Training course is valid for 3 years. You can renew your training easily by taking any 3 modules of your choosing. It is your responsibility to keep track of training expiration date(s). Refresher courses are available up to 3 months after your training expiration date. If you do not complete the refresher course during that time period, you will be required to take the full course again. 

SFVAHCS CITI training and the optional UCSF GCP training also are valid for 3 years.

Login and select refresher course form the UCSF course selection

After you log into CITI, the Human Subjects Protection Training refresher course (e.g. Stage 2, 3 or 4) will appear in the UCSF courses section. Click on the title of the course to begin.

  • Once you have taken all the refresher courses offered by CITI (up to Stage 4), you will be required to take the full course again.
  • The refresher course will only be available 90 days prior to your expiration date.
Complete three modules of your choosing

You will be asked to select and complete any 3 modules of your choosing. Doing so will renew your CITI human subjects protection training requirement for another 3 years. Note: GCP or SFVAHCS refresher courses may have different requirements.

CITI Training From Other Sites

What are the CITI requirements for SFVAHCS investigators and staff?

The SFVAHCS requires regular training for all individuals engaged in research with human subjects, their tissue or data. If you are working at the SFVAHCS, we recommend completion of the VA CITI training, which will meet UCSF’s requirements.

There are other education requirements for the SFVAHCS, so ensure you and all members of your research team are current with those requirements. Contact the VA directly with questions.

What do I need to do if I already completed CITI training at another institution?

Prior coursework completed at another institution does not automatically fulfill UCSF’s requirements, as each institution selects its own required modules. To receive credit, you must manually transfer your records.

How to Transfer Your Records (For step-by-step instructions, see CITI’s guidance on transferring courses):
  1. Log into the CITI website with your existing credentials
  2. Click “Add Affiliation” on the Welcome page.
  3. Select and search for “University of California, San Francisco.”
  4. Follow the prompts to complete the affiliation.
  5. Enroll in the UCSF courses you want transferred, making sure to select the same stage (Basic or Refresher).

Once you are affiliated with both institutions and enrolled, CITI will automatically compare your completed modules and apply credit.

🛑 Crucial Transfer Rules

To ensure your credits transfer successfully, keep the following in mind:

  • Maintain Dual Affiliation: You must remain affiliated with both your previous institution and UCSF.
  • Module Equivalency: Only identical modules will transfer. You must still complete any unique, UCSF-specific modules.
  • Match the Stage: You must enroll in the exact same course stage (Basic or Refresher) at UCSF that you previously completed.
Do collaborators at other sites need to complete the UCSF CITI Human Subjects Protection Training course?

Collaborators only need to complete this training if UCSF has agreed to act as their IRB of record. If outside collaborators have received their own IRB approval, they do not need to take the UCSF training and should defer to their own IRB's educational requirements.

CITI Certificates and Completion Reports

For Current UCSF Personnel:

If you are still affiliated with UCSF, you must retrieve your own certificates and completion reports by logging into your CITI account. The UCSF IRB staff do not have access to your password/login information. Please follow the instructions provided on the CITI website to access and download your records. 

For Former UCSF Personnel:

Questions?

The CITI Support Center offers an array of resources and solutions to address commonly raised inquiries. Assistance can be obtained by completing a support request form or by reaching out to them via phone at 888-529-5929.

Forgot Username or Password?

To retrieve your CITI Program username and/or password click on the Forgot link, also located on the CITI Program log in page , and enter the email address associated with your CITI Program account to retrieve your username. The UCSF IRB staff do not have access to your password/login information. 

I have more than one account. Can I merge them into one CITI Program account?

To ensure accurate training records, it is recommended that individuals only maintain one CITI Program account per institution. Having multiple accounts under the same institution can lead to duplicated coursework completions.

While we are unable to delete accounts, CITI can merge multiple existing accounts upon request. To merge CITI Program accounts, please email [email protected] and provide:

  • Your full name
  • Your institutional affiliation
  • The username for the account you want to keep
  • The username(s) of the account(s) you want merged

Consolidating accounts will allow your training history to be stored in one place for simpler record keeping and to prevent accidental retakes of completed courses. Please contact CITI at [email protected] or 888-529-5929 if you need assistance merging accounts or have any other questions.

How many modules are required?

You will be required to take 4 core modules and 2 modules of your choosing. You can take additional optional modules on other topics, if you wish. 

How long does the Human Subjects Protection training take? Can I stop and start again?

Most users complete all of their required modules in 2-4 hours. You can stop and begin anytime. Save your work before you exit, and remember your user name and password.

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