Rodent Training
Training Schedule
Registration deadline is 5 working days prior to the available wet lab.
To schedule training for techniques not listed on the calendar (ie: Rodent Basic Surgery or other Protocol Specific Techniques), please contact the Training Coordinator. Some techniques contain a higher-level skill content than others and will require more than one formal training session. Please refer to the course description below.
View the Training Calendar HERE.
Registration Process
STEP 1: Complete the ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM to reserve your preferred lab training date and time:
- To prevent delays, please ensure that the form is complete.
- Registration deadline is 5 working days prior to the available wet lab.
- Please allow the Training Coordinator 5-7 working days to coordinate your registration.
- You can save a copy of your webform submission.
- If you are a previous animal user returning to animal use after an extended period of not handling animals (typically 6 months or longer), you will be required to repeat the Orientation Online Tutorial, the Handling Online Tutorial and be assessed for animal handling proficiency.
STEP 2: The Training Coordinator will review the training request and take into consideration the following prior to finalizing the training registration:
- The technique requested is described on the approved protocol or approved protocol amendment that is indicated on the registration form
- How often is the technique will be used vs the duration of the training required to gain proficiency
- The duration of the training required to gain proficiency in the requested technique vs the duration of the course/employment commitment
If concerns are recognized, they will be communicated to your PI.
STEP 3: The Training Coordinator will send a confirmation email request to your Primary Investigator (PI) for approval
STEP 4: The Training Coordinator will email you the following information:
- Your confirmed training date(s)
- Details on your registered lab training session
- Login information for the required online tutorial(s) (see Course Information below)
- Note: All prerequisites must be completed no later than 1pm on the day prior to your reserved date of training. Trainees that arrive more than 5 minutes after the in-person training session start time, will not be able to participate in the scheduled session.
Course Information
Mandatory modules
Online tutorial
Information on how to prevent workplace injuries resulting from storage and use of hazardous products.
- Prerequisites: None
- Quiz: 70% to pass
- Allow 2 hours to complete
Online tutorial (also known as Part 1)
Ethics, guidelines, regulations and safety information.
- Prerequisites: PI approval
- Quiz: 80% to pass
- Allow 4 - 6 hours to complete.
Online tutorial
Facility regulation, personal protective equipment (PPE), decontamination process, working alone, campus accident/incident reporting and submission of a short assignment on your personal view on the use of animals in research.
Note: Individuals that require access to the Rodent Research Facility and will not be working with animals, need to register for the Orientation Lab on the registration form.
- Prerequisites: PI approval
- Quiz: 85% to pass
- Allow 2 hours to complete
Rat Handling
Upon successful completion of the Rat Handling Wet Lab, you will receive the Rat Handling Certification.
3R's, history, biology, breeding, husbandry, common health concerns & diseases, sex determination, identification, recognizing pain and distress, endpoints, handling, safety concerns, cage cards and colony management program.
- Prerequisites: PI approval, Modules 1-3
- Quiz: 80% to pass
- Allow 3 hours to complete
This lab will allow you to familiarize yourself with the species to gain confidence in handling them. Topics discussed will include facility orientation and regulations, humane handling, common methods for identifying animals, sex determination and performing a health assessment.
You will be required to show competency in sex determination, health assessment and humane handling of the rat prior to receiving certification.
- Prerequisites: PI approval & Rat Handling Online Tutorial.
Mouse Handling
Upon successful completion of the Mouse Handling Wet Lab, you will receive the Mouse Handling Certification.
3R's, history, biology, breeding, husbandry, common health concerns & disease, sex determination, identification, recognizing pain and distress, endpoints, handling, safety concerns, cage cards and colony management program.
- Prerequisites: PI approval, Modules 1-3
- Quiz: 80% to pass
- Allow 3 hours to complete
This lab will allow you to familiarize yourself with the species and gain confidence in handling them. Topics discussed will include facility orientation and regulations, common methods for identifying animals, humane handling, sex determination and performing a health assessment.
You will be required to show competency in sex determination, health assessment and humane handling of the mouse prior to receiving certification.
- Prerequisites: PI approval & Mouse Handling Online Tutorial
Rodent Surgical & Post-Op Care Assistant
The purpose of this course is to prepare you with the skills and knowledge to assist a certified surgeon during surgery and during post-operative care.
Instrument care, preparing surgical packs, autoclave use, preparing the surgery suite, asepsis, anaesthesia, analgesia, anaesthetic monitoring & surgical recovery, recording and documentation.
- Prerequisites: Modules 1-3, Rodent Handling & Subcutaneous (SC) Injection Certification (species specific).
- Quiz: 80% to pass
- Allow 4 hours to complete
This lab will review all of the topics covered in Module 6 in a format that allows you to practice all techniques required for assisting in surgery and post-operative care. Please note that this course is a 2 DAY course. Participation in both days in required.
- Prerequisites: PI approval and Rodent Surgical & Post-Op Care Assistant Online Tutorial
Rodent Basic Surgery Course
The purpose of this course is to prepare the student with the skills and knowledge to complete anaesthesia and surgery unsupervised. Until certification is achieved, the student is expected to work under direct supervision by a Certified surgeon while performing surgery, anaesthesia and post-op care (where applicable). Upon successful completion of the Rodent Basic Surgery Online Tutorial, Rodent Basic Surgery Wet Lab AND Rodent Surgical Proficiency Review, the student will receive Rodent Surgical Proficiency Certification (Technique and Species Specific).
Gowning and gloving, asepsis, wound healing, sterile tip procedure, sterotaxic basics, incision, skull preparation basics and suturing.
- Prerequisites: PI approval, Rodent Handling, SC Injection and Rodent Surgical & Post-Op Assistant Training successful completion.
- Allow 4 hours to complete
This lab will review all topics covered in the online tutorial in a format that allows you to practice all techniques required for an introduction to surgery. You will be provided with a checklist of expectations to prepare for the competency review (Module 12). Please note that this course is a 2 DAY course. Participation in both days in required.
- Prerequisites: PI approval & completion of the Rodent Basic Surgery Course Online Tutorial.
The purpose of the review is to ensure that you are competent to perform the anaesthesia, surgical procedure, and post-op care (where applicable) without supervision. The University Veterinarian will observe you through the entire anaesthetic, surgical procedure and post-op recovery.
Upon the University Veterinarian's approval, certification will be given to you. Certification is species specific and categorized as: Chronic Stereotax, Acute Stereotax or Other. Certification categories are not transferable to other categories or species.
- Prerequisites: PI approval, Rodent Basic Surgery Course Wet Lab, completion of training for the specific research surgical technique
Protocol-Specific/Bio-Methodology Training
Upon successful completion of Module 12, you will receive certification in the Protocol-Specific technique for that species. The certification is not transferable to other rodent species.
Note: Some techniques contain a higher-level skill content than others and will require more than one formal training session.
Techniques offered in Protocol-Specific/Bio-Methodology Training include but are not limited to the following:
Skill Complexity Level: BEGINNER
Expected number of formal training session(s) to achieve Certification = 1 Session
- Euthanasia/Perfusion Safety Training. This training session only contains the safety components related to these procedures (ie: equipment uses, emergency procedures, confirmation fo euthanasia, etc.). As perfusion is a research-specific technique, personal are required to receive perfusion training from a qualified research personnel.
Skill Complexity Level: INTERMEDIATE
Expected number of formal training session(s) to achieve Certification = 1 - 2 Sessions
- Ear Notching
- Intramuscular (IM) Injections
- Isoflurane Anaesthesia for Euthanasia/Perfusion
- Subcutaneous (SC) Injections
Skill Complexity Level: HIGH - INTERMEDIATE
Expected number of formal training session(s) to achieve Certification = 2 - 3 Sessions
NOTE: Recommend registering for the first training session a minimum of 3 weeks before the technique is required for the research study.
- Intracardiac (IC) Blood Collection under Anaesthesia
- Intracardiac (IC) Injections with Anaesthesia
- Retro-Orbital Injections with Anaesthesia
- Tail Vein Poke Blood Collection
Skill Complexity Level: ADVANCED
Expected number of formal training session(s) to achieve Certification = 3 - 4 Sessions
NOTE: Recommend registering for the first training session a minimum of 2 months before the technique is required for the research study.
- Gavage
- Tail Vein Blood Collection with Anaesthesia
- Tail Vein Blood Collection without Anaesthesia
- Tail Vein Injections
Skill Complexity Level: HIGH - ADVANCED
Expected number of formal training session(s) to achieve Certification = 4 - 6 Sessions
NOTE: Recommend registering for the first training session a minimum of 2 - 3 months before the technique is required for the research study.
- Tail Vein Catheterization
Protocol specific training such as restraint, injections, blood collection, etc..
- Prerequisites: PI approval participation in a study that involves the requested technique, rodent handling (species specific).
- Quiz: 70% to pass
Protocol specific training such as restraint, injections, blood collection, etc.. Proficiency in handling will be required prior to attending the training lab.
You will be required to show competency in the procedure prior to receiving certification.
- Prerequisites: PI approval, can show proficiency in animal handling. Note: the more experienced the trainee is in handling the relevant species, the greater the success in learning the protocol specific technique.