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University of Wisconsin–Madison

PREP: Professional Research Education Program

WHAT IS PREP?

The Professional Research Education Program (PREP) aims to support faculty, staff, and students in conducting safe, compliant, and inclusive human subjects research and connect the research community to campus resources.  It consists of ongoing continuing education and professional development opportunities. Sessions are presented by various experts around campus.

If you have questions about PREP or would like to receive email updates about upcoming PREP courses, please email prep@research.wisc.edu.

Who hosts PREP?

PREP is organized by a cross-campus working group, including members from the Clinical Trials Institute (CTI), Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) office, Office of Research Compliance (ORC), School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH), and UW Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC).

How do I sign up to attend a PREP course?

REGISTER HERE for upcoming PREP courses. While registration is not required to attend, we ask that you still register so we can better plan for presentation spaces and track our progress.

How do I recommend a course topic?

Topics primarily stem from needs assessment surveys sent out to the research community and follow-up surveys sent out to attendees following PREP courses. You can also recommend a course at any time using our recommendation form or email prep@research.wisc.edu.

Can I get continuing education credits for participating in PREP courses?

PREP courses may count for continuing education credits needed for various professional certification organizations. Contact your professional organization to determine if the courses will be accepted and what documentation is needed.

For live webinars or in-person events, your OHRD catalog account will show a transcript verifying your attendance.

When viewing videos of past PREP courses, you can obtain documentation of completion by self-enrolling in the Professional Research Education Program Canvas course. After logging into Canvas and enrolling, click "go to the course". Once in the PREP course, click on the presentation you would like to complete, view the video linked there, and complete the brief certification "quiz". Documentation of course completion will then be available in the "grades" section of the Canvas course.

Library of Course Recordings

See the below sections for lists of previous course recordings.  Note: guidance and policy referenced in these videos may have changed since the recording. Please ensure you consult the most recent information available.

Please contact prep@research.wisc.edu, if you'd like copies of any of the presentation slides.

How to Write an Informed Consent Form (2018)--  Jennifer Fenne, IRB Office; Tina Graber, ICTR
This presentation reviewed the new Informed Consent Form templates developed by the Health Sciences IRB Office, as well as common errors that can be prevented when writing an informed consent document.

How to Obtain Informed Consent (2018)-- Tracy Ohrt, ICTR; Shari Zeldin, SMPH
This presentation reviewed the important, basic concept of the informed consent process. This training was geared towards the newer members of the study team or those that were looking for a refresher.

Consent Documentation in Health Link (2021) -- Carla Croft, UW Health
This brief video explains when consent needs to be documented in Health Link and how it should be documented. Guidance, policy, resources, and tips are covered. Run time is approximately 11 minutes.

Consent Process & Documentation Essentials (2022)  -- Emily Putman-Buehler, Office of Research Compliance
To watch this brief video, download and click "slideshow." This video covers consent process and documentation basics, with reminders to help improve compliance. Run time is approximately 7 minutes.

Remote Consent 101 (2021) -- Meg Hackbarth, Clinical Research Office; Anna Martin, IRBs Office; Danae Wolff, UWCCC
This presentation describes various options for obtaining remote consent, including how to set up and use DocuSign. Attendees hear a study coordinator's perspective on obtaining remote consent and learn more about regulatory considerations for remote consent.

Capacity to Consent Considerations in Research (2019)-- Caitlin Cleary, SMPH; Jackie Lee, IRBs Office; Becky Schwei, SMPH
This course covered regulatory and practical considerations when working with individuals lacking capacity to consent. The presenters also discussed issues such as assessing/recognizing lack of capacity, working with legally authorized representatives, and temporary versus permanent lack of capacity. Throughout the presentation, presenters described best practices and shared real life examples.

Documenting Consent: When, Why, and How (2023) -- Jennifer Fenne, HS IRB Office; Jackie Lee, MRR IRB Office; Jake Rome, FDA Regulated Research Oversight Program
Presenters described key considerations for documenting informed consent: what “counts” as documentation, which regulatory determinations are required and how to request them, remote consent processes, exemption requirements, and what to consider if assent, HIPAA, or FDA regulations apply.

 

Research Recruitment Methods and Regulatory Considerations Across Study Populations (2018)-- Kaelin Grant, SMPH; Emily Jenner, UWCCC; Ann Sexton, ICTR; Becky Schwei, SMPH
Representatives from various established clinical research programs and departments discussed various recruitment methods applicable for different subject populations.

Recruitment: Building Trust Between Minorities and Researchers (2019)-- Sue Passmore, ICTR
This course introduced the basic concepts in the Building Trust curriculum: Culturally Confident Engagement for Translational Research. Topics included a formative exploration of how past research abuses contribute to a legacy of mistrust today and information on how and why to build community relationships.

Recruitment Strategies for Clinical Trials (2023)-- Jomol Mathew, Clinical Health and Informatics Institute; Dorothy Farrar-Edwards, Collaborative Center for Health Equity
Attendees learned strategies for using Electronic Health Records for feasibility assessment and recruitment, recruitment and retention of diverse populations, and how to organize and structure multisite clinical trials. Please also see the slides and resource guide.

Recruiting via Social Media (2022)-- Kevin Kiley, Clinical Research Office; Jackie Lee, IRBs Office; Amanda Young, SMPH
Representatives from the IRBs office, the Department of Medicine, and the Clinical Research Office covered regulatory and ethical considerations for using social media for research recruitment and shared their experiences, tips, and lessons learned creating content and using social media platforms for recruitment.

Study Recruitment: What do "real people" recommend? (2019)-- Betty Kaiser, Katrina Phelps, & Gay Thomas, School of Nursing
Want to create more effective recruitment materials? Interested in learning about recruitment strategies that potential study participants recommend? In this presentation, staff from the Wisconsin Network for Research Support (WINRS) share best practices and actionable advice from 9 years of experience working with community/patient advisory boards.

Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center: A Model of Engagement That Worked (2020)-- Hector Salazar, SMPH
In this course, the speaker described how the partnership with the Oneida Nation and the Inclusion of Underrepresented Groups Core (IURG) of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) came to be. The key steps needed to build the critical relationship and how to be mindful in developing partnerships with tribal nations were also explored.

Recruitment in HealthLink: Self-Service Tools to Identify Potential Research Participants (2020) -- Carla Croft & Ann Wieben, UW Health
This presentation introduces the self-service reporting workbench reports in Health Link and provides links to additional resources. For demos, check out  How to Build Recruitment Report for Hospitalized Patients (Inpatients)and How to Build a Recruitment Report for Patients Undergoing a Procedure/Operation.

Clinical Research Data Service - Resources for Counts and Recruitment (2021)(password is Prep2021) -- Gabe McMahan, ICTR
This presentation provides information on clinical data resources available for UW-Madison clinical researchers. These services are typically utilized by SMPH, but some tools are available to other units conducting clinical research. This course includes information on resources for doing patient counts, using the EHR to target participants for recruitment, requesting retrospective clinical data for research and details on how to access the services

Recruitment: Building Trust Between Minorities and Researchers (2019)-- Sue Passmore, ICTR
This course introduced the basic concepts in the Building Trust curriculum: Culturally Confident Engagement for Translational Research. Topics included a formative exploration of how past research abuses contribute to a legacy of mistrust today and information on how and why to build community relationships.

An Introduction to StudyFinder; A New Recruitment Tool to Enhance Enrollment for Clinical Trials (2020) (password is Prep2020) -- Ann Sexton, ICTR
In this class, the presenters introduce the new online public study portal, StudyFinder.  They provide a broad overview of StudyFinder and what type of studies will be posted. In addition, they cover the requirements for posting and how it could help with study recruitment. Also, they demonstrate the steps involved in preparing protocols to post in StudyFinder.

Introduction to Community-Based Research (2022)-- Haley Madden & Cory Sprinkel, Morgridge Center for Public Service
Join staff with the Morgridge Center for Public Service to learn more about the basics of Community-based Research (CBR). They discussed the relevance and utility of CBR and shared how scholars can get started – from the basics of CBR to practical advice around building relationships, securing resources and support, and more. They also shared examples of successful CBR projects and discussed campus resources to support CBR.

Building Stronger Communities and Research Programs with Equity and Inclusion (2022)-- Gina Green-Harris, Center for Community Engagement and Health Partnerships
This training emphasized diversity, equity, and inclusion opportunities at the individual, team, and organizational level. Specifically, the training provided participants an opportunity to think about how DEI is essential to improving research strategies that can lead to improving research participation from underrepresented groups, thought-provoking ideas to understand how shifting the historical narrative is essential to advance DEI and improve our community, commitment, and connection, and the opportunity to consider how improving the internal capacity to address DEI can positively impact their organizational mission.

Study Recruitment: What do "real people" recommend? (2019)-- Betty Kaiser, Katrina Phelps, & Gay Thomas, School of Nursing
Want to create more effective recruitment materials? Interested in learning about recruitment strategies that potential study participants recommend? In this presentation, staff from the Wisconsin Network for Research Support (WINRS) share best practices and actionable advice from 9 years of experience working with community/patient advisory boards.

Disability, Inclusion, and Accessibility for Researchers (2022) -- Ruben Mota, Office of Compliance
This course provides a basis for researchers to consider how they can make research participation more accessible to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, this course provides a general overview of disability, disability rights and laws, and touches on disability as a form of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Privilege and ableism are reviewed and information on accessibility resources are provided.

Engaging with LGBTQ+ Populations in Research (2021)(password is Prep2021) -- Stephanie Budge, Counseling Psychology
This session focused on information researchers should know when engaging with LGBTQ+ study participants, including language and terms to use in research for LGBTQ+ people, survey and qualitative instrument design, with special attention to how to ask about gender and sexual orientation in demographic sections, and how to include stakeholders and use language to recruit LGBTQ+ participants.

Study Recruitment: What do "real people" recommend? (2019)-- Betty Kaiser, Katrina Phelps, & Gay Thomas, School of Nursing
Want to create more effective recruitment materials? Interested in learning about recruitment strategies that potential study participants recommend? In this presentation, staff from the Wisconsin Network for Research Support (WINRS) share best practices and actionable advice from 9 years of experience working with community/patient advisory boards.

Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center: A Model of Engagement That Worked (2020)-- Hector Salazar, SMPH
In this course, the speaker described how the partnership with the Oneida Nation and the Inclusion of Underrepresented Groups Core (IURG) of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) came to be. The key steps needed to build the critical relationship and how to be mindful in developing partnerships with tribal nations were also explored.

 

Privacy, Confidentiality, and HIPAA in Practice (2019)-- Gretchen Anding, IRB Office; Laura Conger, IRB Office; Amanda Reese, Office of Compliance; Stefan Wahe, IT
This presentation provided an overview of how privacy, confidentiality, and HIPAA apply to research. It also provided detail on what the IRB is looking for regarding privacy and confidentiality concerns and how identifiability and HIPAA affect research at various stages, including recruitment and data storage.

HIPAA Implications in Research (2018)-- Ryan Moze, SMPH; Amanda Reese, Office of Compliance
This presentation reviewed what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is and how it applies to research at UW-Madison.

HIPAA Through the Life of a Study (2022)-- Monica Esquibel, IRBs Office; Ryan Moze, SMPH; Jack Talaska, Office of Compliance
This course will covered a variety of considerations regarding HIPAA throughout the life of a study including but not limited to: certification for activities preparatory to research, approved tools for exchanging and storing PHI, data classification, de-identification of data, and data sharing.

Data Sharing Agreements (2021)(password is Prep2021) -- Rob Gratzl, RSP; Ryan Moze, SMPH; Amanda Reese, Office of Compliance
This course provides an introduction to data sharing agreements. The presenters explain when data sharing agreements are needed and why they are important. They also describe the types of agreements, templates, and language that may be used, as well as the general process for obtaining an agreement.

Ensuring Patient Safety and Ethics in the Trenches (2018) -- Shari Zeldin, SMPH
This session addressed the importance of ethics and patient safety and included a discussion of ethical and patient safety considerations related to informed consent, inclusion and exclusion criteria rationale, the difference between clinical care and clinical research, and much more.

Identifying, Documenting, and Reporting (Serious) Adverse Events (2018) -- Stephine Wasielewski, UWCCC; Molly Lumley, ICTR
This presentation defined adverse events, described the various ways they can be identified and documented, and reviewed reporting requirements. This presentation will also described tips and pointers to avoid common mistakes.

Revised GCP Guidelines: How does it impact me? (2018) -- Tracy Ohrt, ICTR
This presentation described updates to the International Conference for Harmonization (ICH) Good Clinical Practice (GCP) E6 Guideline, referred to as R2. The revisions are intended to modernize and encourage implementation of more efficient approaches to clinical trial design, conduct, oversight, documentation, and reporting, as well as human subject protections. This presentation reviewed the changes and how they impact the PI and members of the study team.

Developing Data Collection Tools for Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials (2018)-- Kendra Haight, SMPH; Amy Siedschlag, ICTR
This presentation reviewed how to apply the Quality by Design (QbD) principles when developing data collection tools, including identifying the critical data as well as the most efficient and effective ways to capture and manage the data.

Internal Quality Assurance (QA) Procedures (2018)-- Gemma Gliori, Kelly Haas, Amy Henneger, Mary Jo Jackson, Jill Kubiak, Chris Roginski, Ling Zhong, SMPH & UWCCC
Representatives from a variety of established clinical research programs and/or departments described the internal quality management practices and procedures they have in place, followed by a panel discussion and question and answer session.

Developing Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) (2018)-- Jill Kubiak, UWCCC; Amy Remm, ICTR
Study teams are encouraged to create and maintain SOPs to help prevent non-compliance. This presentation included an overview of the recommended SOPs that each program/department should have, the sections to include when writing SOPs, how to manage SOPs, and how to train study staff on SOPs. Furthermore, the presenters shared some common challenges, lessons learned, and provided example SOP templates.

Research Billing Compliance (2019)-- Nancy Lutz, UWHC; Janna Bergum, UWCCC
This presentation covered the many facets of Research Billing Compliance. Topics included how the OnCore system is used to facilitate research billing and how the UW Health Patient Billing staff receive and use the information. The presenters shared the most common errors and tips and tricks to prevent them.

IND/IDE Preparation, Submission, and Maintenance (2019)-- Tim Sparks, ICTR
This presentation provided a high level overview of the process and steps for IND and IDE submissions.

Working with Minors in Research (2019)-- Jennifer Fenne, IRBs Office; Lisa Williams, SMPH
This presentation discussed considerations to make when planning research projects that involve children, from regulatory requirements to strategies for effective recruitment, enrollment, and interaction with children and their parents during the research process.

Study Initiation--Using the Clinical Research Infrastructure and Resources (2019) -- Jennifer Collins, UWCCC; Jillian Francour & Kristi Shaeve, ICTR
This course described tips for effective and efficient study initiation as well as UW resources that are available to assist along the way.

Introduction to the new ClinicalTrials.gov Service Line (2019)-- Tina Graber, Anchal Gusain, Meredith Rhodes, Clinical Research Office
UW has introduced a free CT.gov service line to assist study teams with registration, maintenance and result reporting to CT.gov. This presentation covered the history of ClinicalTrials.gov, reasons to register to this public database, the dynamic nature of records, and how the Service Line can be utilized by study teams.

Introduction to Statistics for Everyday Use in Research (2020)-- Fay Osman, SMPH
This course provided general information on “statistics” for everyday use either in the planning of a study or for a manuscript, such as common statistical tests, analysis software, and statistical plans. Topics also included non-statistical factors such as study design, feasibility of recruitment, and sample sizes.

Research During COVID-19 (2020) (password is Prep2020) -- Jenny Hayes, Environment, Health, & Safety; Catherine Rogers, IRBs Office; Sarah Stewart, UWCCC
During this course you will hear from representatives from the UWCCC Clinical Research Central Office (CRCO); Environment, Health, & Safety (EHS); and HS IRBs office about conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include tips for conducting remote consent and virtual study visits, what needs to be reported to the IRB, and safety best practices for in-person research.

Best Practices for Multisite Study Coordination (2020)(password is Prep2020) -- Jillian Francour & Kristi Schaeve, ICTR
During this course, participants will hear tips and lessons learned for initiating and navigating multisite clinical research. The presenters will discuss real-life examples as well as common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

How to Manage Conflict (2019)-- Julie Kovalaske, Learning and Talent Development
This presentation covered steps to effectively manage conflict and apply those steps to different scenarios that may arise within research study teams.

Onboarding and Turnover (2021)(password is Prep2021) -- Ben Barmore, Educational Psychology; Chris Roginski, Clinical Research Office
In this course, the presenters shared best practices for onboarding and turnover in study teams. They shared tips and tools for keeping organized during staffing changes, providing efficient and comprehensive training to new study team members, and making smooth transitions.

Introduction to Survey Best Practices (2022)-- Jennifer Dykema, UW Survey Center
This course serves as a brief introduction to best practices in designing questions and questionnaires for surveys. Some basic tips and resources for developing and administering questionnaires are shared. Some common pitfalls (and how to avoid them) and frequently asked questions are also addressed.

Single IRB Review (2019)-- Mike Bingham, RELIANT
This session explored strategies and requirements for studies when UW-Madison is serving as the IRB of Record for external sites. It also covered IRB Review under the revised Common Rule as well as ceding IRB review.

Multi-Site Research and Reliance Agreements (2023)-- Anne Buffington, SMPH; Hillary Keller, RELIANT; Anna Martin, IRB/RELIANT
The goal of this presentation is to inform research staff of the different factors that influence the IRB review of multi-site projects and trigger the need for reliance agreements. The presenters discussed what “reliance” means and the role of the Reliance Team in assisting study teams. This course provided information regarding the single IRB (sIRB) application and its usefulness for multi-site projects. The presenters also discussed the importance of communication and responsibilities when participating in multi-site research. Finally, the course provided the perspective of a study team utilizing UW-Madison as the reviewing IRB with a focus on how the study start-up process goes for a multi-site study and how to build relationships with study sites.

NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMS) Policy: Overview and Local Implementation (2023) -- Cameron Cook, Research Data Services; Catherine Rogers, IRBs Office
NIH issued the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) policy to promote the sharing of scientific data. Effective for NIH grant applications starting January 25, 2023, this policy requires that researchers producing scientific data submit a DMS plan as part of their grant proposals. This presentation provided an overview of the policy, the process for creating a DMS plan, and what to consider for IRB applications and informed consent documents. The presenters highlighted resources available at UW-Madison to help researchers carry out their obligations under the policy, including resources for writing DMS plans and identifying repositories within which to share data. 

Single IRB Review (2019)-- Mike Bingham, RELIANT
This session explored strategies and requirements for studies when UW-Madison is serving as the IRB of Record for external sites. It also covered IRB Review under the revised Common Rule as well as ceding IRB review.

IRB Reportable Events and How to Prevent Them (2020) (password Prep2020) -- Jessie Johnson, IRBs Office; Molly Lumley, ICTR; Emily Putman-Buehler, Office of Research Compliance
During this course, attendees learned about the categories of Reportable Events and how to determine if an event requires reporting to the IRB. Attendees also learned about ICTR’s Study Monitoring Service and the Post-Approval Monitoring Program, common monitoring findings, and how to prevent findings from occurring.

Changes of Protocol: IRB and Study Team Guidance (2020) (password Prep2020) -- Kendra Haight, SMPH; Anna Martin, IRBs Office
This course described the Change of Protocol process from both the IRB and study team perspectives. The presenters described when and how changes are submitted, the IRB review and approval process for changes, how to update study-related documents following a change, and how to provide and document training on changes. Best practices and tips are shared throughout.

Fundamentals of Protocol Writing Workshop (2022)-- Dr. Nasia Safar & Dr. Bernadette Gillick, ICTR
This workshop, hosted by ICTR, provided a review of the core components of a clinical trial protocol, strategies to engage biostatistical collaboration in creating protocols, and an opportunity to learn about processes in protocol writing in industry. Please also see the slides and virtual handbook.

Multi-Site Research and Reliance Agreements (2023)-- Anne Buffington, SMPH; Hillary Keller, RELIANT; Anna Martin, IRB/RELIANT
The goal of this presentation is to inform research staff of the different factors that influence the IRB review of multi-site projects and trigger the need for reliance agreements. The presenters discussed what “reliance” means and the role of the Reliance Team in assisting study teams. This course provided information regarding the single IRB (sIRB) application and its usefulness for multi-site projects. The presenters also discussed the importance of communication and responsibilities when participating in multi-site research. Finally, the course provided the perspective of a study team utilizing UW-Madison as the reviewing IRB with a focus on how the study start-up process goes for a multi-site study and how to build relationships with study sites.

Other Resources and Education Opportunities