Information for Researchers Being Interviewed by AAHRPP

Thank you for your participation in Utah State University's upcoming AAHRPP Site Visit! The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) is an international, independent, nonprofit organization that reviews and accredits an institution's human research protection program (HRPP). The HRPP is made up of three primary areas: the institution itself, its IRB, and its researchers. Long regarded as the gold standard, AAHRPP accreditation demonstrates commitment to quality research programs.

The Human Research Protections Office has provided AAHRPP with a written description of USU's policies, procedures, and resources. AAHRPP Site Visitors will conduct virtual interviews on October 1st and 2nd, 2026 to ensure that those policies and procedures are being adhered to. While the Human Research Protections Office will hold one-on-one preparation sessions, this page will also provide an overview of what to expect.

Please reach out if you have any questions during this preparation process! We're excited and proud to show AAHRPP the amazing work conducted by our researchers.

General Questions (These questions will likely be asked no matter your role)

Where do you fall within USU’s HRPP?
What training have you received? Do you know how to access it? Do you know if the IRB considers you up-to-date?
Where are protocols submitted?
What standards does USU use to review protocols? (Belmont Report, Common Rule)
What is AAHRPP Accreditation, and why is it important?

Researcher Role Questions

You are specifically being interviewed as someone who oversees research with human participants. Here is a summary of AAHRPP's focus within your role:

A general summary of some of your current projects. What are the procedures? How are you recruiting participants? What is your consent process? What are the potential risks, and how are those risks being minimized?
Knowing when IRB review is necessary and where to file protocols
Knowing when and how to disclose a conflict of interest
Knowing how to contact the IRB with questions or concerns (whether via irb@usu.edu, our Slack, consultation, or phone)
Carrying out scientifically sound research
Having the resources necessary to carry out proposed research
Recruiting participants in a fair and equitable manner while adhering to inclusion/exclusion criteria
Understanding the purpose of informed consent, voluntary participation, and that research materials are comprehensible to participants
Knowing what to do with participants, questions, and concerns
That researchers have sufficient training, knowledge, and expertise to carry out the specific tasks they will perform
That PIs maintain appropriate oversight of their projects and fulfill their assurances
That all research staff know what is in the protocol submitted to the IRB, and have what they need to follow the protocol
That all research staff understand when to report things to the IRB and understand the different reportable events

Interview Tips

If you don't know the exact answer to a question, you can always respond by knowing where to find the answer to their question (Kuali, the IRB/HRPP website, or our SOPs)
Answer questions directly. If you don't understand a question, you may ask them to rephrase it
If a question is not related to your role, let the interviewers know
Site visitors may not be familiar with USU terms and acronyms--you might be asked for more information when describing your process