Learn the Fundamentals

Use these resources to stay up-to-speed on the best practices for conducting responsible investigations.

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Requirements

Any scientist working with human subjects is required to complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative Training on research ethics. Recertification is required every three years. Institutional Review Board approval will be withheld if these training requirements are not met.

Similarly, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Occupational Health Safety Program training is required for anyone handling and caring for animals as part of their research. There are also facility-specific and animal-specific training courses available.

Many training awards — such as those from the National Institutes of Health — also require training in Responsible Conduct of Research.

Optional Seminars

For a general overview of research fundamentals, consider taking one — or all — of our online Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS) courses. NUCATS also offers Team Science training resources to help scientists acquire and apply a basic knowledge of working on a multidisciplinary team.

Formal Training

Northwestern offers the following master’s degrees with an emphasis on research skills:

• Biostatistics
• Clinical Investigation
• Health and Biomedical Informatics
• Health Services and Outcomes Research
• Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
• Public Health
• Regulatory Compliance