Day 261: IRB Meeting

I know that I've used this image before for the IRB, but . . . it still feels appropriate to use for this post.

Today, I had a meeting with my university's Institutional Review Board.  I want to conduct a research study this semester, and I have to get it approved through the IRB first.  I turned in my approval request form and consent form to be used in the study, and they had some questions for me regarding my application.  So today was the meeting for them to ask me questions.

I had NO idea what to expect.  None whatsoever.  My professor wasn't able to attend, so it was just going to be and the IRB.  There were 9 IRB members there, and all of them were professors and old.  Well, not all old, but they were all older than me.  The chemistry guy was pretty scary.  He yelled a lot.  Not at me, but still, he got pretty fired up about IRB-related stuff. 

Long story short, they told me some things I needed to change or add in my consent form and approval request form.  The members were most concerned about my potential participants and any risks my study may pose on them.

Overall, it was a good meeting, and it was cool to have a meeting with the IRB.  Here's hoping that the changes I made to my forms will be approved, and I can start and complete my study!!