Top Tips

Complete your investigator training:

  • Ensure the Principal Investigator, co-investigators, and key research personnel have completed the required investigator training before participating in the research. All personnel can check their training status in UIC Research under the “Training” tab in any protocol in which they are associated.
  • Submissions may be rejected if training requirements have not been met.
  • Refer to the OPRS Investigator Training page for additional information on the training requirements.

Be mindful of deadlines:

  • There are no deadlines for protocols submitted for EXEMPT or EXPEDITED review.
  • In general, protocols that require review by the CONVENED IRB will be placed on the next available agenda for an IRB meeting within 10 business days of receipt. The IRB meeting dates are listed under IRB Meeting Dates.
  • For all other submissions, the sooner the protocol is submitted, the sooner it will be reviewed (i.e., first in, first reviewed).

Allow adequate time for IRB review:

  • Determination of  Human Subjects: approximately 1 week
  • Claims of Exemption: approximately 1 week to 2 weeks
  • Expedited Initial Review: approximately 2 weeks
  • Convened Initial Review: approximately 3 weeks

If you have not heard from OPRS within the above timeframe, contact OPRS by phone: 312-996-1711 or email: uicirb@uic.edu. Do not assume the IRB review will result in approval the first time the IRB reviews the research.

If you are submitting a Continuing Review application, submit it approximately 4 to 6 weeks prior to the expiration date.

Be precise in your language:

  • You are submitting a “Protocol” for IRB review, not an “IRB” for IRB review.
  • Adults (over age 18) provide “Consent.”
  • Children provide “Assent.”
  • Parents provide “Parental Permission” for their children to participate in research and sometimes also “Consent” to participate in research with their child (e.g., mother-daughter dyads).  You can submit a combination Parental Permission/Adult Consent document by using “You and your child are being asked to …” throughout the document.

Identify documents correctly with file names and corresponding footers: 

  • Use uniquely identifying file names and footers to identify your various documents.   Do not use the same name for all documents (e.g., “Very Important Study”, version 1, 6/1/2007, page 1 of 3; “Very Important Study Document 1.doc”).
  • The file name and footer should be similar and readily identify the document.
  • For specific information on formatting file names, please refer to the section “Formatting file names for study attachments” on the UIC Research IRB Template webpage.
  • Examples of footers and corresponding file names include:
    • Consent Document for Very Important Study, version 1, 4/1/2024

Submit all data collection materials, recruitment materials, and informed consent documents: 

  • Include copies of all consents, assents, parental permissions, and HIPAA authorizations with the submission.
  • Include copies of all flyers, scripts, recruitment letters, email announcements, brochures, etc. with the submission.
  • Submit all questionnaires, survey instruments, interview guides, discussion guides, and/or data collection instruments that will be used.
  • Submit separate investigational drug brochures (IB) or approved product information for each drug or biologic (approved as well as investigational agents) administered or prescribed solely due to the subject’s participation in the research.
  • Attach a copy of the data collection instrument to the IRB application.
  • Include IRB approval letters, letters of support, and/or Authorization Agreements from other participating sites.
  • Submit each document separately so OPRS staff can stamp each document after IRB approval.  Allow adequate space on each document for the approval stamp.
  • Once you have been assigned a STUDY ID (protocol number) in UIC Research, refer to that number when communicating with OPRS.
  • As stated above, ensure that each item is identified appropriately.

 Include a research protocol with every new submission: 

  • If the sponsor does not provide a protocol, use one of the protocol templates found under the “Templates” tab of the UIC Research Library. Templates include:
    • Protocol: Combined Determination-Exempt Template (HRP-503b)
    • Protocol: Health and Biomedical Research Template (HRP-503)
    • Protocol: Social, Behavioral, Educational Research Template (HRP-503a)
    • Protocol: Development Only, Center Grant, Training Grant Template (HRP-503c)
  • The protocol represents the primary documentation of the proposal for the purpose of IRB review.  The protocol should provide a complete explanation of the research plan and should be used as the basis for the preparation and completion of the other study documents.