Hi, Angela!
Similar to other institutions that have responded, our reviewers serve a 3-year term after IRB onboarding.
Reviewers are welcome to stay on the IRB as long as they want. However, to build capacity, many do step down to allow others to join.
I devised an IRB Reviewer onboarding process that provides:
1. Independent reading i.e., Belmont Report, internal protocols, process documents, including the OHRP Decision Charts
2. Completing IRB training i.e., provide link to OHRP's set of online modules
3. Shadow experience i.e., a new reviewer assigned to a seasoned reviewer
3. Practice i.e., review approved IRB applications by type (exempt, expedited, full committee, limited) to see applied regulations
4. Observe a Convened Meeting
The extent of the Practice component depends on the reviewer's knowledge of IRB i.e., many join the reviewer rotation as they were former IRB submitters or served as a PI on a research project. I tend to spend more time with non-scientists given their learning curves.
At our institution, many join the IRB at different points in time (so there won't be a mass exodus should everyone step down at once).
Let me know if you have any questions on our home-grown "mentor" type program.
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Dawn Leusner
IRB Manager
Educational Testing Service
Princeton, NJ 08541
irb@ets.org------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 06-02-2022 12:32
From: Angela Bain
Subject: IRB Member Terms
I have some questions I hope you all can help me out with. I have recently had a number of members roll off the committee and am about to set out to find replacements. I am just wondering how things work in your institutions. How often do you turn over IRB members? Do you have term limits? What ways do you train your new members? Has anyone used a mentor type program for new members? If so, how has it worked out?
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Angela Bain, CIP, CIM
Director, IRB Office
Kennesaw State University
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