by Christine Scheuring, PRIM&R Blog Squad Member

PRIM&R is pleased to introduce the PRIM&R Blog Squad at this year’s 2011 Social, Behavioral, and Educational Research (SBER) Conference. The PRIM&R Blog Squad is composed of PRIM&R members who are devoted to blogging live from our conferences.

The PRIM&R Blog Squad member for the 2011 SBER Conference is Christine Scheuring.

Who’s excited for PRIM&R’s 2011 Social, Behavioral, and Educational Research (SBER) Conference?! I am!

As a brand-new institutional review board (IRB) administrator, I was delighted when I discovered that the start date of my position coincided with the 2011 SBER Conference.

Over the years, I have been involved in research in varying capacities. From coordination to regulations, I have had the opportunity to explore many of the responsibilities associated with IRBs. As I begin my new role as IRB administrator, I have no doubt that these experiences will prove helpful.

My new position is bound to present challenges, but this is also exactly the opportunity that I was looking for. Am I still nervous? You bet! But that is why I am so excited about the upcoming 2011 SBER Conference. What better resources could I have hoped for than the pre-conference program IRB 101—SBER, and interesting, diverse sessions taking place throughout the conference?

Applying for the PRIM&R blog squad is a good example of one of the ways in which I am attempting to accomplish my goals. Upon being offered the position, I felt a mix of trepidation and excitement; I questioned whether I was ready for this step in my career. After a bit of a mental tug-of-war, I realized that if my employers had faith in my qualifications, then I should as well.

Of course, I wish I was naturally imbued with all of the necessary knowledge and confidence to guarantee immediate success in my new position, but wishful thinking aside, it’s reassuring to know that, come April 29, I am going to feel a lot more confident after spending a week in Boston. I hope that you will join me for my journey of discovery as I share my experience as a new IRB administrator from the 2011 SBER Conference here, on Ampersand.