Animal Researcher Training

New Research Faculty / Staff / Students	Visitors	Occupational Health	Continuing Education / Career Development	Authorized In-House Trainer

The Animal Laboratory Training Coordinator, Amanda Dillard, assembles training programs and provides direct training to laboratory, teaching and husbandry staff on procedures as well as the care and handling of animals.

Additional one-on-one, tailored training is available for lab staff (e.g. animal identification techniques, blood collection, injections, anesthesia, and monitoring, handling and restraint, husbandry and care, sex differentiation, humane euthanasia, etc.).

TRAINING

AALAS Learning Library

Access the Learning Library at the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) via your personal home page in eIACUC.

What modules are required?

Training requirements are based on species exposure. They are also specific to a protocol. There are specific modules for some activities, too, such as surgery, rodent breeding, or use of animals in a biosafety level 2 facility.

Please refer to the Animal Use Table for an outline of species-specific courses.

How do I know what I must take?

On the Protocol Team page of a protocol or personnel amendment, eIACUC automatically determines what courses are required but have not been completed to date (give or take a few days to allow for data entry). Look here for any new training that is needed. Or check with the principal investigator, or other authors, about your own requirements. If you have access to the eIACUC protocol under development, you can also find it yourself under the Training and Occupational Health tab on the protocol workspace in the protocol form.

How do I access the Learning Library to ensure that I get credit?

Access the AALAS Learning Library via eIACUC (under your eIACUC login). Once you complete a course, documentation of completion will automatically be sent from AALAS to your profile in eIACUC.

1. Log in to eIACUC (Use your medical center username and password)
2. Click "My Home" (top right)
3. Click “Log In to AALAS” (left side)
i. Click "Tracks" (left side)
ii. Complete the required WFU courses.

Locate eIACUC Training Transcript

Your training transcript can be accessed from your eIACUC homepage (My Home in the upper right portion of the screen after you login). Your eIACUC homepage > Profile Tab > Profile link with your name > My Training Tab. The courses that you have completed have a date to the right.

Can I get credit for AALAS courses that I have already taken here or at another school?

Yes! For assistance, contact Amanda Dillard at adillard@wakehealth.edu.

*If you cannot access the eIACUC system, contact IACUC staff who will set up your account. Set up takes only a few minutes.

Hands-On Training

We offer hands-on training for all species. This includes basic handling, blood collection, gavage, injections, aseptic technique, anesthesia, euthanasia, and many more.

Contact Amanda Dillard (adillard@wakehealth.edu) to enroll in hands-on class

Training Logs

Research personnel must maintain an Individual Training Log in order to comply with the expectations set forth in the most recent Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

Your “Profile” page in eIACUC allows you to upload training certificates directly to your eIACUC training profile.

Login to eIACUC
Click on the Profile tab in the center of the page
Click on your name to bring up your profile
Use the activity button “Upload Training Certificates-Documents”

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Explore IACUC’s Occupational Health for Animal Researchers

NEW RESEARCH FACULTY/STAFF/STUDENTS

Lab Animal Orientation (Download)
Checklist
Contact Information (institutional login required)

VISTORS

Explore IACUC’s Resources for Visitors

CONTINUING EDUCATION/CAREER DEVELOPMENT

American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)

AALAS' Certification and Registry Board (CRB) certifies three levels of technician competence that are well known and widely used throughout the varied fields of laboratory animal care. Learn more about AALAS Certifications and view the Technician Certification Handbook provided by AALAS.

Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Prepare for the ALAT Certification Exam.
Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) Prepare for the LAT Certification Exam.
Laboratory Animal Technologists (LATG) Prepare for the LATG Certification Exam

Academy of Surgical Research

The Academy of Surgical Research promotes the advancement of professional and academic standards, education and research in the arts and sciences of experimental surgery and offers the below Surgical Research Certifications.

Surgical Research Anesthetist (SRA) - The SRA certification is intended for the technician who works as an anesthetist who also has responsibilities as part of the surgical team that include aseptic preparation and peri-operative care of surgical patients. The SRA candidate must have documented experience with at least two species as reflected in an anesthetic case log.
Surgical Research Technician (SRT) - The SRT certification is intended for technicians who perform minor surgical procedures, such as peripheral vessel cannulation, indwelling pump implantation, subcutaneous implantation, etc. A minimum of two different procedures need to be documented in a surgical case log.
Surgical Research Specialist (SRS) - The SRS certification is intended for the surgeon who performs major surgical procedures, such as those which penetrate a body cavity, or orthopedic manipulations, vessel and/or nerve anastomosis, etc. A minimum of two different major procedures in two species need to be documented in a surgical case log. If the majority of work is performed in rodents, then 4 different procedures need to be performed.

Academy of Laboratory Animal Veterinary Technician/Nurse Specialist-LAM

This Academy is the 14th approved Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) Academy by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in American and the American Veterinary Medical Association!

What does VTS (Veterinary Technician Specialist) or VNS (Veterinary Nurse Specialist) mean? The acronyms are used to certify that the holder has applied, qualified and passed an exam and sometimes practicum to be designated by one of the NAVTA approved Academies as a VTS or VNS.

The ALAVTN certification mark (VTS/VNS-LAM) means that members possess a high level of technical skill, ethical characteristics aligned with our mission, and can provide an advanced level of service to research organizations.

Click here for more information: https://www.alavtn.org/academy-information/

Basic Microsurgery Course

Training in Microsurgery is directed to surgeons in the following specialties: general surgery, neurosurgery, urology, gynecology, otolaryngology, as well as plastic, orthopedic and hand surgery. The course focuses on nerve repair and tissue transplantation for trainees in those specialties and researchers who seek training in practical microsurgery at the basic level.

Download Informational PDF

AUTHORIZING IN-HOUSE TRAINERS

There is no replacement for hands-on training by a competent instructor for learning new procedures in live animals, whether in a formal workshop or less formally from colleague-to-colleague.
Since each person who touches a research animal must be authorized to do so, the following guidance describes four compliant methods endorsed by the WF Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for working with a trainer.

1. WF Animal Resource Program (ARP) staff as trainer

This includes ARP veterinarians and veterinary technicians and the Laboratory Animal Training Coordinator.

Used for any type of procedure
These trainers do NOT have to be added to an IACUC protocol

2. Add the trainer to your approved IACUC protocol

This includes WF researchers or external consultants.

Used typically for complex, research-specific procedures, such as a major or minor surgery, where the IACUC should review the trainer’s credentials.
Trainer must be added to the personnel listed on the approved IACUC protocol.

3. Get a recommendation for a trainer from WF ARP veterinarians or the Laboratory Animal Training Coordinator.

This typically includes WF researchers.

Used typically for minor procedures, when the person making the recommendation has direct knowledge of the trainer’s ability and adding the trainer to the protocol is impractical, e.g., learning from an experienced colleague down the hall how to draw blood.
Involves an email communication from the veterinarian or coordinator to IACUC staff who will confirm that the trainer has been cleared by the Occupational Health Program for exposure to the species and will log a note in the approved protocol’s history.
No personnel amendment to approved IACUC protocol regarding trainer is needed.

4. Have the trainer verbally walk the trainee through the procedure. The trainer must refrain from direct contact with the animal in order to protect the trainer from infectious diseases that can be transmitted between humans and other animals (zoonosis).

Used for minor procedures in species with minimal risk of zoonosis, and when other methods are not available.
Acceptable ONLY for common laboratory rodents (rattus, mus, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, chinchilla), birds and swine. EXCLUDES dogs, cats, sheep, goats, cattle, bats, wild rodents, and nonhuman primates.
No action regarding personnel on an approved IACUC protocol needed.

Other Important Considerations

The trainee must be listed on an approved protocol that includes the species to be used in training.
There are no limits on training among personnel listed on an approved protocol.
Training should be documented in the individual training logs of trainees and signed by the trainer.
The use of animals for the sole purpose of training personnel to conduct a major or minor surgery must be described in a protocol. By contrast, training for minor procedures, such as blood draws, or incidental training that occurs during the conduct of research activities already approved in the protocol is allowed.

Regulatory

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