The McLaren Health Care Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) is accepting applications from individuals interested in serving as members on the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Please read through the FAQs below to learn more about what an IRB is, and how you might fit into it. Physicians, McLaren employees and members of the community are all encouraged to apply.
FAQs
What is an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
The purpose of the IRB is to assure that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and well-being of humans participating as subjects in a research study. The IRB’s job is to ensure that the research is carried out ethically, as safely as possible, and in compliance with institutional policies, federal regulatory requirements and state and federal laws.
Who Serves on an IRB?
An IRB consists of members of varying backgrounds. IRBs are meant to be representative of the communities they serve and are required to have diverse membership, including community members who are not affiliated with McLaren Health Care. In addition, IRBs need members with broad ranges of professional and personal experience to provide the expertise needed to understand and evaluate research projects. The board’s composition is made up of scientific, non-scientific, and lay individuals who represent the perspective of research participants.
What is “Human Subjects Research”? What Kind of Research Does the MHC IRB Review?
Human Subjects Research (HSR) includes any type of research project that involves people or people’s private information. HSR can include:
- Clinical trials testing out new drugs and devices to treat disease;
- Development of new methods to screen and test for diseases;
- Behavioral interventions designed to improve outcomes for individuals;
- Surveys and interviews, and
- Retrospective review of past outcomes of treatment methods
What Are the Expectations of IRB Members?
After sufficient training, members are expected to attend at least 80% of their assigned meetings. Meetings are held the first and third Friday of every month and currently take place via the web conferencing service, Zoom. Members are assigned one or more research studies at least one week prior to the meeting they plan to attend. They must complete a review of the study, which will be discussed at the meeting or will undergo expedited review outside of the meeting.
What Do I Do If I’m Interested in Serving as a Member of the IRB?
Submit an application. You may click on the word “application” here to access the form or you can access it through the website: https://www.mclaren.org/main/irb-member-corner (For preferred viewing, open this link in Chrome, Firefox or Edge.) Be sure to read the application carefully in order to fully understand the requirements of IRB members.
There is no deadline for submitting an application. If a membership opening is not available, your application will be kept on file for future consideration.
If you have questions about becoming an IRB member or want further information, please contact Patricia Ivery, Manager of the Research Integrity Office, by phone (248-484-4955) or e-mail: [email protected]