Division/Department Review

Department/Division Approval or Support

Department/Division Approval:
All research studies require approval by the department or division chair (or other designated approver) before they can be processed by the IRB. Any designee of the department or division chair approving research studies needs to have an equivalent degree of expertise. The chair (or designee) confirms that the investigator has the time and resources to conduct the study and is qualified to administer the intervention/perform the study procedures.

Letters of support:
Research that involves subjects from outside the investigator's department/division require a letter of support from the chair of the department/division whose patients are targeted as prospective subjects.

The letter does not need to be in specific template or format, but should confirm that the department/division is aware of the recruitment requirements for the study and is in support of the recruitment plan as it affects the respective department/division. For example, if a cardiology study plans to recruit subjects who come into the emergency department, then the division director for Emergency Medicine will need to sign a letter supporting this request. Another example is if a psychology study is going to recruit oncology subjects from their clinic then the Division Chief of Oncology or the Director of the Oncology Clinic would need to send a letter in support of this recruitment plan.