Student Resource Guide for IRB Protocol Submission

📝 Quick Checklist

• Obtain graduate committee approval of your project.
• Discuss the IRB submission process with your advisor.
• Log in to Novelution to set up your profile.  Make sure to designate your Project Department (e.g., the department of your major area of study). (See also: Novelution System)
• Take required appropriate CITI training. (See: IRB CITI Training and Requirements)
• Verify all other research team members on the project have also completed required CITI training.
• Submit protocol to IRB to obtain approval.  (Note that your advisor will serve as the PI and must complete the ✅PI certification before the study can be reviewed).
• Ensure sufficient review time to ensure approval is obtained before beginning the research to account for possible revisions that may be needed.
  • Exempt reviews typically take 3-5 business days.
  • Expedited reviews may take 2-3 weeks.
  • Full Board reviews must be reviewed at a convened board meeting.  See the 📅 IRB Meeting Dates to plan ahead.
• Departmental review:  Once the protocol is submitted (and the Principal Investigator has certified), the protocol must be approved by the👤department chair, dean, or director.
• IRB Review:  Depending on the review type, the review can take several days to approximately a week.  Once the protocol has been reviewed, you will receive an auto-generated email with either: 
  • 🔄 Revisions Needed: Check the review comments within the protocol.  Once each comment has been addressed, the protocol has been updated, and all revised documents (e.g., recruitment message, consent documents, or questionnaires, etc.) have been uploaded.  Resubmit for review.
  • 📄 Approval: Your approval letter will be attached to the email as a PDF.  Save a copy for your records. While you are a student, you may also access the approval letter within your approved protocol (stored in the IRB correspondence panel).

Resources

•  Find instructions for completing common Novelution tasks like starting an IRB protocol, filing an amendment, adding an external team member, or starting a reliance agreement on our 
  💡Novelution Compliance Module Tip Sheets page.