The State of IRB Staff in America

Purpose: To conduct a descriptive examination of Institutional Review Board (IRB) staff members across the United States. Objective: To determine a pattern or “type” of individual who is most drawn to working with IRBs and to develop a deeper understanding of the backgrounds and experiences of the IRB staff. Design: An IRB staff survey was distributed, via e-mail, to medical school IRBs which were grouped according to NIH funding in 2008. Results: The IRB staff pursued an IRB career because of motivational reasons, and they were able to obtain the job due to their background and skills. Conclusion: Results suggest there is a difference between amount of NIH funding and highest degree obtained, number of protocols reviewed, and number of full-time employees.