How long should training records for personnel be retained and who is responsible for maintaining them?

• A. Retained per institutional policy and regulatory requirements (often several years); maintained by the IACUC or Compliance Office
• B. Retained for life; maintained by the PI
• C. Retained for 1 year; maintained by the IACUC
• D. Retained for 6 months; maintained by Department of Veterinary Services

Answer: (A)

Training records should be kept for the length required by institutional policy and regulatory requirements, which is typically several years. This ensures there is a verifiable record that personnel involved in animal care and use have completed the necessary training and remain up-to-date with required refreshers.

The usual caretaker of these records is the IACUC or Compliance Office because centralizing training documentation helps ensure consistency, accessibility for audits, and alignment with oversight responsibilities. While the principal investigator is responsible for making sure their staff complete the required training, the actual records are maintained by the institutional office that oversees animal care and compliance.

Keeping records only for a short period or assigning maintenance to a department like Veterinary Services would risk noncompliance during audits or protocol renewals, and retaining them for life is generally unnecessary. The policy-driven, centralized approach is what supports proper oversight and accountability.