The University of Southern Maine (USM) Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) ensures the protection of the rights and welfare of persons participating in human subject research conducted at or affiliated with USM.

The University of Southern Maine has applied to the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program (AAHRPP) accreditation. AAHRPP is an international, independent nonprofit organization that reviews and accredits an institution’s human research protections program (HRPP).

Collaborative Board Model

IRB Member Resources

All research involving human subjects conducted by any employee or agent of USM (faculty, staff, students, external, etc.) must receive IRB review and approval prior to implementation.

IRB Submission Process

Guidance and Resources

The determination of whether a research study is human subjects research is made by an institution’s Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) or IRB office. At USM the determination request is made through the online system, Cayuse.

Cayuse User ID Request: https://forms.gle/SUUNkEmL2EE3AKEW7

USM Login: https://usm-maine.app.cayuse.com

Guest login: https://usm-maine.app.cayuse.com/guest

Creating a Request for Determination of Human Subject Research in Cayuse Guide (2/2024)
Determination practice sheet in MS Word

Complete Submission and Certification Routing

Replying to Reviewer Comments

Find Documents After Approval

The University of Southern Maine (USM) Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) ensures the protection of the rights and welfare of persons participating in human subject research conducted at or affiliated with USM.

This section summarizes key elements of USM’s IRB policies and procedures with which you should be familiar for your interview. The source of this information are the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) standard operating procedures.

Guidance and Resources

Before and After participation This page has links to useful short videos to prepare for participation in research.

Post approval monitoring: After participating in research approved by the USM IRB, there is a 3 question anonymous survey regarding their experience as a research participant:

1) Was research staff friendly and courteous?

2) Please provide what you remember of the who conducted the research, what institution conducted the research, what the research was for, and why where they conducting the research.

3) Were you provided the opportunity to give feedback to the research team on your experience?

Human Subject Research Protection Program (HRPP) Student Classroom Research Projects are conducted during or outside of class with students enrolled in an official course (for credit or not for credit), as well as activities in fulfillment of class assignments involving interactions with individuals other than the members of the class. These assignments are typically initiated and completed within a course. Faculty members may design assignments that engage students in interaction with individuals or data about individuals to teach research methods or to help students understand concepts covered by the course.

The projects are not intended to create new knowledge or to lead to scholarly publication or presentation. Individual project submissions are intended for IRB submission experience.

Faculty Preparation

Individual Student Projects

  • Introduction script and recruitment materials
  • Data collection materials ie. survey or interview questions
  • Consent language/form – Guidance
  • Written permission to conduct research at a location external to USM

Approval is needed prior to starting data collection!

IRB Protocol Review CITI Course

Although this CITI training is not required it is an excellent basic training of human subject research and submitting projects to the the Human Research Protection Program. Both the Social Behavioral and Biomedical Case Studies have merit to learn something. This is ideal for students in a basic research methods course.

  • Asking the Right Questions for Effective Protocol Review – Biomedical Case Study
  • Asking the Right Questions for Effective Protocol Review – (Social Behavioral) SBE Case Study
  • IRB Regulatory Review Criteria
  • IRB Review of Informed Consent

Participant-Centered Informed Consent training

The Federal Office for Research Protections also offers a course on Participant-Centered Informed Consent training.