The following guidance reflects a community consensus about what constitutes adequate training in the responsible conduct of research. It has evolved over the past decade of interaction between applicants for institutional training grants and NIGMS training grant review committee members, many of whom are themselves training grant program directors. It is not prescriptive. There is no single set of standards that all programs must adopt. Rather, this guidance describes what many institutions are doing and may be viewed as a collection of best practices.
Components of an appropriate plan for the responsible conduct of research (RCR) may include:
Subject Matter of Instruction (Multiple Topics)
- Conflict of interest
- Data sharing
- Responsible authorship and publication
- Policies for handling misconduct
- Policies regarding the use of human and animal subjects
- Data management
- Peer review
- Mentor/trainee responsibilities
- Collaborative science
Format of Instruction
- Combination of didactic and small-group discussion (e.g., case studies)
- Research training faculty participation
- Online courses may be used as adjuncts to supplement RCR instruction, but are not usually considered adequate as the sole means of instruction
Compliance (Trainee Attendance)
- Attendance is required and monitored
- Certificate or documentation is available upon completion
Duration of Instruction
- Substantive contact hours
- A series of programs or seminars is ideal, as it allows learning over longer periods of time and links individual programs to a broader picture
- A one-time exposure (seminar, one-day workshop) is generally considered inadequate and lacking sufficient depth
Opportunities for Continuing Instruction
- For predoctoral training, initial RCR instruction is generally offered early in training
- Opportunities to take additional RCR instruction later in training, or throughout training, may be useful
- Opportunities for postdoctoral trainees/fellows may build upon previous predoctoral RCR training experiences
Individual Mentoring
- One-on-one contact with mentors and advisors
- Individual study assignments
- May be particularly relevant for postdoctoral fellows
