Providing training to research staff is required by federal regulations, and the IACUC and Attending Veterinarian are equally charged with ensuring training is adequate for the research program’s needs. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, DLAR had to significantly augment the training program to align with university policies on social distancing. This involved switching a variety of training modalities to virtual interactions, as well as individualized training.  As we look toward the future, DLAR is beginning to augment the training program to better fit the current training demands at WSU. The initial change will be the re-introduction of group training classes for the required hands-on training with mice and rats. These are our most attended classes, and the switch to group training should allow more trainees to receive this training in a timely manner. These group trainings began in November, and the schedule for these can be found here. 

DLAR has received feedback from some investigators that the training process can be quite long for some individuals. This transition to group training is the beginning of changes within our training program to improve the process and quality of training at WSU. We are always open to feedback on the training program and would like to hear feedback from the research community. Please contact Dr. Kelsey Carpenter (kelsey.carpenter2@wayne.edu), the DLAR veterinarian who oversees our training program.