YARC Regulatory and Training

The Animal Welfare Act requires that institutions provide training for researchers on the humane care and use of animals, including methods to minimize pain or distress. The following training services are available through YARC. You may call 785-4722 for more information about these training sessions. However, you must pre-register for courses using the link next to each course. Email: tmsadm@yale.edu for questions regarding the on-line pre-registration, which is required for these sessions.

IACUC Orientation (Pre-registration is required at: http://www.yale.edu/training/, using your NetID. Please note that Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher is required to access this site.)

mandatory for all new animal handlers (attendance is documented)
provides overview of regulatory requirements
provides overview of husbandry and veterinary services

Wet Labs

pre-registration required
hands-on training
skilled husbandry/veterinary staff instructors
designed for rodent handlers

Basic Principles in Rodent handling, Collection and Injection Techniques (Pre-registration is required at: http://www.yale.edu/training/, using your NetID. Please note that Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher is required to access this site.)
Basic Principles: identification, restraint, collection or injection techniques, and euthanasia

Rodent Inhalation Anesthesia (Pre-registration is required at: http://www.yale.edu/training/, using your NetID. Please note that Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher is required to access this site.)
Inhalation Anesthesia: delivery systems, monitoring and scavening

Rodent Aseptic Survival Surgery (Pre-registration is required at: http://www.yale.edu/training/, using your NetID. Please note that Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher is required to access this site.)
Aseptic Technique Rodent Surgery: animal and surgeon preparation, anesthesia, sterilization of instruments, surgical space requirements, animal recovery

Please contact Regulatory & Safety Services at 785-4722, 737-1406 or 785-3641 for additional information or questions regarding the courses offered.

Specialized Training

provided by husbandry, veterinary or regulatory staffs
offered as needed, specific to need, documented
investigator, IACUC or YARC may request

Training materials on all species are available on request from the YARC and IACUC offices. Call YARC at 785-4722 for more information. Laboratory safety training is available through the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

Medical Surveillance

To ensure the health and safety of all personnel working with live vertebrate animals, the Department of Employee Health assesses the potential risks and exposures to personnel. Risk assessment is based on the species personnel are working with, the use of hazardous agents in vivo and your personal health history. This is accomplished by submitting this confidential questionnaire to Employee Health. Employee Health contacts personnel directly and provides any necessary medical screening.

YARC Facility Orientation Information

YARC Facility Orientation sessions are held on the Second and Fourth Friday of each month at 1:30 PM in all facilities If you need to attend a YARC Facility Orientation, please register at the following website: http://www.yale.edu/training/ On the day of your Orientation you should report directly to the facility where your animals are housed.

YARC Education and Training Information

All new YARC employees must complete a basic, self study course in Laboratory Animal Science.
68% of YARC employees are certified by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.
The YARC Education and Training Committee sponsors ASpotlight on Research@. In this program, which runs September through May, an investigator is asked to speak to the YARC Staff about their research. This not only helps open communication between the Animal Technicians and investigators, but also gives technicians a better understanding of the research being conducted.
The Education and Training Committee coordinates a Mentoring Program, for all new Animal Technicians. The goal is to instill YARC=s mission and commitment to animal-based research in to our new technicians and to decrease new job-associated stress by facilitating a smooth integration into YARC and Yale University.
In February of 1999 the Education and Training Committee started publishing the New YARC Times. It is a departmental newsletter, published four times per year. The goal is to keep technicians in all YARC animal units informed of issues that affect their work, upcoming seminars, technicians receiving certification and much more. It has been well received by our staff and will continue to be a source of departmental news.