Student-led Activities: Introduction
This page is intended to provide students with instructions, guidance, FAQs and links to templates and other resources for submitting activities for review. The image below depicts an algorithm about when a student-led activity may require IRB review; click on the image for the complete algorithm, including explanatory notes and instructions. If you are a College of Medicine medical student, see our Information for Medical Students in the FSU College of Medicine web page for additional information.
General Submission Requirements
- Any FSU student who plans to undertake activities that may involve individuals who may serve as respondents or study participants or about whom information or biospecimens may be collected or used is required, before initiating or beginning their activity, to have the study submitted for federal regulatory OHSP/IRB review using the FSU Research Administration and Management Portal (RAMP) Institution Review Board (IRB) module (RAMP IRB).
- Paper, email or telephonic submissions or requests for OHSP/IRB review are not accepted.
- See our RAMP IRB video tutorials to see how to use RAMP IRB and navigate a study submission workspace. Tutorials last just a few minutes and include video captures of RAMP IRB workspaces.
- To find out how long it MAY generally take to complete OHSP/IRB review of a student-led activity, refer to FAQ#9, accessible through the Frequently Asked Questions panel below.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE TO STUDENTS: FSU dissertation, theses, graduation as well as study sponsor, journal publication, and conference presentation requirements may include the need to provide official documentation of OHSP/IRB approval or clearance (including documentation that further IRB review was not required). Approval or clearance is not granted retroactively (i.e., after or while you are conducting your study). Plan carefully, timely and accordingly so that you have this official documentation.
Need More Information?
Click on one or more of the panels below to obtain additional information, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions, other guidance, and key tips for success.
Look over the following 10 key tips for important hints for success. Many reflect common errors in submission.
- Review the OHSP web page to learn more about the OHSP and IRB.
- See your faculty advisor early on about your planned activity; initial and each subsequent change requires faculty advisor review and approval before the study moves into the IRB review queue.
- Read ahead about researchers' responsibilities in the Investigator Manual. Avoid surprises!
- Complete required human subjects-specific training; every member of a study team must complete the correct course. Other training will not suffice, so refer to our training requirements page for detailed training registration and course selection instructions.
- Complete required conflicts of interest/CAMS disclosures; every member of a study team must complete this requirement, and no activity or study may be approved without completing this requirement. Click here for more information.
- Unless instructed by your faculty advisor, do not list your faculty advisor as a member of the study team if they will not be involved in the design, conduct or reporting of your activity. Otherwise, the above training and conflicts of interest requirements will apply to your faculty advisor.
- Use only RAMP IRB to submit your activities for review; paper, email, telephonic or other submissions are not accepted.
- Use only current and approved templates and forms available in the Templates tab. Do not use previously submitted or obsolete forms shared with you by your colleagues, departments or faculty advisors, as templates change to reflect new requirements. Incomplete, obsolete or incorrect forms will be returned.
- Check out the human research review process, to see how your study will evaluated and how long review may take.
- Not sure if your study requires review? If there is a question about whether an activity requires IRB review, submit in RAMP IRB a completed HRP-503d - Template Determination Form and related materials; OHSP will review the form and related materials and let you know whether further IRB review is required and if so, what additional information and materials must be submitted. The HRP-503d Template Determination form is accessible by logging into RAMP IRB, and navigating to the IRB, Library and Templates tabs. See this Request a Determination video tutorial to see how to submit the HRP-503d form in RAMP IRB.
Contact information for the IRB and OHSP are in the panel above. The garnet ribbon below is information for the FSU Office of Research or FSU generally, and does not include any information for the IRB or OHSP.
