NC TraCS leads an annual in-person Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course, usually in July. This course covers all NIH-required topics for the first phase of responsible conduct of research training.

The instructors are experts in their fields—having backgrounds from lab-based to clinical research—and who represent offices on campus that assist researchers in all aspects of research implementation.

To receive credit for course completion, participants must attend all sessions offered in person and complete an assignment. Participants (with UNC ONYENS) who have completed the course, are included in the UNC Research Training database (Note: if you are accessing this database from off-campus you must be logged into the VPN).

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a question about what RCR requirements apply to me. Do I need to take this course?

If you are currently funded by a training mechanism through NIH and have questions about NIH RCR requirements, visit grants.nih.gov.

I can't attend the July course. Are there other options?

If you are not based at UNC but could otherwise attend the July course, remote participation via Zoom is considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the requirements of your specific training program. To start, contact your program leader/administrator to check if remote participation is acceptable.

If you are a postdoc, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs offers a course for UNC postdocs: research.unc.edu/postdocs/current/professional-development/workshops-seminars/rcr.

The CITI Program offers Responsible Conduct of Research training. This training is on-line and may be acceptable depending on the requirements that apply to you. For example, if you are funded by the NIH (e.g., on a T32 training grant or K award), on-line training alone is not sufficient to meet NIH requirements for RCR training. However, you may be able to complete the CITI RCR training and supplement CITI training with other RCR-related activities.

When can I register for the July course?

Event notification will go out in January for the July course. Please keep an eye on the TraCS email newsletter and TraCS calendar for official notification.

I have already taken foundational RCR training, are there other options for more RCR training?

Individuals who have had foundational RCR training may volunteer to serve as a discussion leader for the July annual course as a way to document ongoing RCR exposure—for example, if you are a K Scholar who needs to demonstrate you continue to think about RCR topics. If you are interested, please email Susan Pusek at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You can also continue to learn and apply RCR thinking in other trainings (e.g., mentor/mentee training) or experiences (e.g., reviewing authorship at a research team meeting). If you want to talk more about what might be relevant for you, please email Susan Pusek.

If you have other questions regarding RCR training, please contact Paige Gray at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Susan Pusek at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..