ResearchMatch

REGISTER AS A RESEARCHER

UTHSC researchers sign-up to use ResearchMatch through the ‘Researchers’ tab on researchmatch.org:

1. Click ‘Register Now’
2. Choose your institution from the dropdown list of participating institutions
3. Enter institutional email address
4. Review and agree to the site specific instructions and researcher acknowledgment form by typing ACCEPT in all caps
5. Enter your contact information, create a username and password, and choose your security questions

You will then be directed to your dashboard with Feasibility Access.

Join as a Researcher

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REGISTERING A STUDY

There are two levels of access available: feasibility access and recruitment access.

Feasibility Access

Feasibility access gives you the ability to view aggregate data on the registry population without an IRB-approved protocol. To register a study for feasibility access, you must:

• • • be affiliated with UTHSC
    • provide your UTHSC email address
    • create a ResearchMatch username and password

Recruitment Access

Recruitment access gives you the ability to recruit volunteers through ResearchMatch. To register a study for recruitment access, you must meet the same access requirements for feasibility access, plus the following

• • • be the principal investigator (PI) or authorized to to recruit for the study on behalf of the PI
    • upload an electronic copy of your IRB approval letter, and an IRB approved recruitment message to implement when using ResearchMatch

How to add a new study:

1. Click ‘add new study’ within the researcher dashboard
2. Specify your role on the study. (The PI must approve the researcher to allow them access.)
3. Complete all the requested information about the study and upload IRB approval letter containing the study expiration date. Specify the study contact type – RECRUITMENT vs. SURVEY ONLY. A recruitment study involves an intervention or interaction with participants, while a survey involves the use of a questionnaire.
4. The PI receives an email to allow the proxy researcher access.**Note: This is a two-step process! The PI must click AUTHORIZE ACCESS in the body of the email rather than responding to the email directly.
5. The PI clicks the link within the body of the email, and confirms access for the researcher.
6. The ResearchMatch Liaison will review the request and approve accuracy of information.
7. Upon approval from both the PI and ResearchMatch Liaison, the proxy receives an email from ResearchMatch requesting they ‘Accept access for recruitment’. Once they click ACCEPT, they now have access to RM volunteers and can begin to recruit for their study!

How researchers can add themselves to an existing study:

UTHSC researchers can add themselves to an existing study after securing approval from the principal investigator.

1. Join ResearchMatch as a ‘Researcher’ and create a username and password. From the dashboard, click ‘Add a new study’ and input the requested study information, including uploading the IRB approval letter.
2. ResearchMatch will automatically recognize existing studies, and will send a request to the PI to approve adding the proxy researcher to their study.
3. Once the PI approves, the institution’s ResearchMatch liaison is sent a request to approve the proxy.
4. The ResearchMatch liaison will review the request and approve if information is accurate.
5. Upon approval from both the PI and ResearchMatch Liaison, the proxy receives an email from ResearchMatch requesting they ‘Accept access for recruitment’. Once they click ACCEPT, they now have access to RM volunteers and can begin to recruit for their study!

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Researchers FAQs

For further assistance, contact Ansley Parker, Research Assistant with the Clinical Trials Unit.

REGISTER AS A VOLUNTEER

Thank you for your willingness to volunteer for research on researchmatch.org. It takes between 5-10 minutes to register and anyone residing in the United States can join. In order to better understand the online registration process, we have listed the online questions below. You will first answer some basic information about who you are and then have the option to enter information about your health. Remember, the more information you include the better match you are to researchers.

There is no cost to register as a ResearchMatch Volunteer and all ages and backgrounds are welcome to register. A parent, legal guardian, or caretaker may register someone under the age of 18 or an adult that may not be able to enter in their own information.

When you become a ResearchMatch Volunteer, you join a pool of thousands of other people across the country that are willing to hear about research studies that might be a good fit for them.

The below list of questions are for reference purposes only. To actually register, visit researchmatch.org.

1. Tell us who you are

• First Name, Last Name
• Street Address, City, State, Zip Code
• Phone, Email Address, Email Address (Confirm)
  To protect your ResearchMatch information, create a username and password that only you know.
• Your Username
• Password
• Select two security questions and type an answer that you will easily remember and be able to provide if you forget your password.

2. Tell us about yourself

• Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy)
• Height (ft/in), Weight (lbs)
• Gender
• Race, Ethnicity
• Tobacco use
• Are you a twin or triplet?
• Veteran Status

3. Your Health Conditions

• Please add any health conditions that you would like to include in your ResearchMatch profile.

4. Your Medications

• Please add any medications or over-the-counter drugs that you are currently taking that you would like to have as a part of your ResearchMatch profile.

5. Additional Information

• In general, how far would you be willing to travel for these types of studies?
• Would you like to be contacted about studies related to being a parent?
• Additional information you’d like to share
• How did you learn about ResearchMatch?
• When you get emails from ResearchMatch about research studies, what languages would you like those emails to be in?

What Will Happen When You Join?

After you register, your anonymous (unidentified) ResearchMatch Volunteer profile will become part of a national registry pool. Approved ResearchMatch researchers search the registry by entering in IRB (Institutional Review Board) approved specific study criteria (age, gender, condition of interest, etc.) to find possible matches for their studies. ResearchMatch then sends an email about a researcher’s study to the ResearchMatch volunteers who appear to be a good fit for their study. While the researcher knows that you may be a good match for their study, they do not know who you are until you allow them to see your contact information. If the study is something that the volunteer wishes to learn more about, the volunteer (you) allow ResearchMatch to release your contact information to the researcher so you can be directly contact by the researcher about the study. The volunteer can choose to be part of the study or be removed from a study at any time. The choice is always up to the Volunteer!

And that is how the wonderful ResearchMatch “match” is made.