Research Advisory Council (RAC)

RAC – Research Advisory Council 

The Research Advisory Coouncil was created for two major purposes:

1. To provide informal guidance to members of the Reading Hospital community who wish to participate in investigator initiated research
2. To formally review all investigator initiated research proposals prior to Institutional Review Board (IRB) review, and to provide the IRB  with an opinion regarding the scientific merit of the proposal. 

In addition, the Council will review competitive grant requests and appropriate grant funds from a yearly pool, donated by the Hospital and Medical Staff. 

Composition:

The Research Advisory Council is composed of a multi-disciplinary group of clinicians who possess skills in the elements of scientific inquiry.  Members include clinicians from major clinical departments.  The Director of Nursing Research, a member of the Nursing Research Council, and the Research Unit's Director of Clinical Trials Research are also represented.  The Chair is selected by the committee at large.  The Council may invite other members of the staff to Council meetings, when they offer expertise that advances the Council's mission. 

RAC meetings:

RAC meets the first Tuesday of each month from 7 - 8a.m. (Click here for the meeting calendar & proposal deadlines).

Presentations by the investigator to RAC should follow the following process:

1. Investigator should notify Academic Affairs office (Erica Klopp – kloppe@readinghospital.org). of  intent to attend RAC meeting and should define purpose (a) informal guidance or (b) formal review prior to IRB assessment.  Notification and materials for distribution should occur by Thursday of the week preceding the RAC meeting.   

2. Investigators requesting formal review should follow the application format found above.  Then should be submitting to Academic Affairs (Erica Klopp - kloppe@readinghospital.org). 

3. Process for formal review:

(a) Investigator will present proposal

(b) Assigned Council members will address issues

(c) Council at large will pose questions to the investigators

(d) Investigator will be excused and Council will vote on the proposal.  The proposal may be accepted, accepted with recommendation for modification, or denied. If modifications are suggested, the investigator will be invited to send these to the Council chair for review. If changes are minor, a subgroup of Council may accept and offer approval. The Council chair will notify IRB office of approval by RAC.

Forms for RAC proposal submissions 

Proposal Submission Form

Proposal Submission Form Descriptions and Guidelines

Informed Consent Form