Preparing for IRB Approval

Before you fill your IRB application, review the decision guide to ensure what type of review process would best suit your research model.   Even if you have gone through this process in the past, refering to the Office of Human Research Program's (OHRP) decision guide to incorporate the latest Federal guidelines.  In addition to refering to this OHRP site, we also encourage researchers to contact the Office Compliance to set up a meeting or a teleconference to discuss your research goals and learn about what course of actions would best suit the practice. Click here to learn more about how to prepare your IRB application. 

Answers to most of your questions can be found here.

 

Filling IRB forms

The IRB requests can be filled by the student PIs or other investigators within the research team.  But the MTSU IRB policy requires all IRB requests be made by a Faculty or Staff member.  The IRB protocol is issued to employees of MTSU.  Ensure that all of the elements within the form(s) are properly filled with appropriate responses.  INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED.

 

Submission

• All documents should be sent to irb_submissions@mtsu.edu when requesting new administrative or IRB action
• Do not copy other email accounts when you send documents - we are currently experiencing severe duplication of documents
• Allow at least 4 (FOUR) business days before contacting the IRB office to inquire about your submission.  
• Documents can be sent to an individual, such as an IRB member, only if you are requested
• Please use irb_information@mtsu.edu to request information and to make general inquiries
• DO NOT SEND IRB COMMUNICATIONS TO INDIVIDUALS UNLESS INSTRUCTED.  All correspondences are subject to archiving and it is essential that researchers send their emails to appropriate compliance email ID
• The compliance@mtsu.edu account will be used only for sending critical information

 More information on how to send documents to the office of Research Compliance can be found by clicking here.

Review

EXEMPT - The application and the supporting documents will be administratively reviewed for completeness.  Incomplete applications will be sent back to the researcher(s) without any administrative action.  Complete applications will be assigned a new IRB ID which will resemble ##-1###.  The researchers will be corresponded by email if further information is needed to make a determination.  In the event that the reviewer determines that the protocol may not qualify for exempt status, the application will be sent for a secondary review.  The researcher will be directed to submit an expedited or a full member application if the second reviewer also agrees with the initial determination.  

EXPEDITED - The application and the supporting documents will be administratively reviewed for completeness.  Incomplete applications will be sent back to the researcher(s) without any administrative action.  Complete applications will be assigned a new IRB ID which will resemble ##-2###.  The researchers will be corresponded by email if further information is needed to make a determination.  In the event that the reviewer determines that the protocol may not qualify for exempt status, the application will be sent for a secondary review.  The researcher will be directed to submit an expedited or a full member application if the second reviewer also agrees with the initial determination.  

 

 

Revising Reviewer Comments

 [in prepearation]

 

After Approval

 Click here to know more about the post-approval responsibilities of the investigators and other provisions & conditions

 

QUICK LINKS:

Exempt Procedures

Expedited procedures

Full Member Procedures (under construction)