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ACTION REQUESTED: Please circulate this re-announcement
to all state, local and tribal officials engaged in the regulation of
foods, drugs, and associated commodities AND encourage those officials
to register for FREE web based training on “ORA U.” NOTE: if
you are already registered for ORA U web based training, you need not
do anything additional.
BACKGROUND: The Food and Drug Administration’s Division
of Human Resource Development (DHRD), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA)
continues its effort to expand “ORA U”. Our ultimate vision
for ORA U will be that it will serve as a one stop source for professional
development for both FDA’s field staff AND state ,local and tribal
officials engaged in food and drug work. Our offerings will eventually
include class room, web based and on-the-job training. We are developing
suggested curricula (which we call certifications) covering officials
engaged in regulation of retail foods, dairy products, manufactured foods
(including seafood), shellfish, and animal feeds. We are collaborating
with associations including the Association of Food and Drug Officials
and the American Association of Feed Control Officials in these activities.
Over 3,000 state, local and tribal regulators are presently registered
for ORA U. Up to this point we have been “spreading the word”
via numerous presentations, newsletter articles and contact with state
program managers. Now, via this re-announcement we are advising potential
students of a new and easier mechanism to register via on-line registration.
ON-LINE REGISTRATION: If you are not yet registered for
ORA U web based training, we invite you to do so by clicking on http://www.fda.gov/ora/training/course_ora.html.
You will find instructions there to self-register.
ABOUT OUR COURSES: We presently offer over 80 web based
courses to state, local and tribal regulators. Topics include food and
drug law, food microbiology, sanitation, HACCP, and investigation of foodborne
illness. We will have materials from some of our national class room courses
posted on our web site for sharing and use by others. We have draft curricula
ready to be used while we seek additional comment from organizations and
individuals. Some 40 additional web courses are in various stages of development.
Standardized “courses in a box” to be used by associations and
agencies in delivering on site class room courses are also in development.
NOTATION REGARDING AVAILABLITY OF WEB BASED COURSES:
Please note the web based courses are developed via a Cooperative Research
and Development Agreement between FDA and a private learning development
company, EduNeering of Princeton New Jersey. The agreement provides for
free web based courses to ONLY FDA, state, local and tribal officials
engaged in the regulation of foods and drugs. Other governmental officials,
industry, academia and the general public may access these courses for
a fee by contacting EduNeering.
OTHER COMMENTS: This truly is a work in progress. While
you are completing the courses already available we will continue our
efforts to develop other courses. Questions, comments and suggestions
regarding ORA U should be directed to the following email address: ORAU@ORA.FDA.GOV
Signed:
Gary German, Director
Division of Human Resource Development
and ORA U
Office of Regulatory Affairs
Food and Drug Administration
US Department of Health and Human Services
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