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Process to gain access to the vivarium and work with animals in research
These are the steps that MUST be completed prior to working with animals, including gaining access to the vivarium. Steps 1-3 can occur concurrently. For more details on any of the steps, click on the boxes below. Please contact the IACUC office at IACUC@cuanschutz.edu with any questions.
- Occupational Health clearance to work with animals
- Completion of the 3 Skillport Program Orientation Modules
- Submit Personnel Qualifications Form*
- PI requests that the individual is added to the protocol
- Completion of the vivarium access requirements (video training and tour)
To comply with Federal Regulations requiring the IACUC to ensure that those named on animal protocols are appropriately trained to perform the procedures listed on the protocol, *updated personnel qualifications forms are to be attached to each new protocol submission in the online database.
Personnel Qualifications forms must contain up-to-date information on training, and signature dates must be concurrent with the submission. The 'amount of experience' should define the number of months/years for which the procedures have been carried out and by whom training was provided. If the associate does not have prior experience in a procedure, write "in training" for the "amount of experience" and who will train the associate in the "training" field.
The IACUC requires that the Personnel Qualifications form be completed and signed by the associate and then reviewed and signed off by the PI (to assure the IACUC that appropriate training for the procedures detailed on the protocol has taken place). Please detail the procedures which will be the responsibility of the associate for each protocol number provided. The IACUC Office advises that the PQ form information be typed and copies saved electronically to facilitate future updates and submissions.
Please be aware that workshops/classes on a number of topics on procedures involving animal manipulations are offered, with no charge to researchers, by the Animal Care Program. Please see our training page for more information.
Contact occupational.health@cuanschutz.edu to schedule an appointment.
Take your immunization records, your initial medical surveillance questionnaire, your employee ID #, and a speedtype (account to which any tests/immunizations will be charged) to your appointment. Occupational health should also be updated annually.
Please see the Occupational Health page for more information.
The orientation consists of three training modules/courses accessed via CU Skillport.
- The first course, "Animal Program Orientation," is an introduction to the UC Denver Animal Program (IACUC).
- The next two courses, "Disease Prevention and Control in the Animal Housing Facilities" and "Standard Operating Procedures" are specific to the UC Denver (and associated) animal facilities (OLAR).
You must complete all three courses with a passing grade of 80%. The IACUC/OLAR offices will confirm your completion of the courses.
Complete and send signed personnel qualifications form (one per PI) to the IACUC e-mail IACUC@cuanschutz.edu. All portions of the form must be completed; email IACUC@cuanschutz.edu with questions.
After the Personnel Qualification (PQ) form is completed and signed by both the associate and the PI, it should be saved electronically so it can be updated at least every three years and attached to new protocol submissions.
When steps 1-3 are completed, the IACUC office will add a new associate to the appropriate protocol(s) and will e-mail Kim Schoonveld (the OLAR training manager), and copy the associate and PI, to request a tour of the vivarium.
Please note that you should allow at least 1 week after completing all four steps before being added to a protocol(s). It is important to complete these steps as quickly as possible.
Kim Schoonveld will send an access request form, once the form is returned.
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Once that is completed, your access tour will be scheduled.
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