OVERVIEW
The Surgical Scientist Program (SSP) works in collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) accredited McGill Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) to offer research support, mentorship, and funding opportunities to surgical residents conducting research towards a Master’s or Doctoral degree.
SSP BENEFITS FOR SURGICAL RESIDENTS
- Opportunity to receive Régie d’Assurance Maladie du Québec (RAMQ)-equivalent salary support during full-time graduate research training, in the absence of other sources of funding.
- Opportunity to receive the Surgical Scientist Excellence Award in recognition of successful applications to scholarships from government agencies (i.e., FRQS and CIHR)
- Opportunity to receive the Surgical Scientist Travel Award to cover travel expenses for research presentations.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for SSP support, residents must meet the following requirements:
1 |
Be a RAMQ-paid resident from a clinical division under McGill’s Department of Surgery:
* International residents (sponsored by contract) must consult their sponsors about their eligibility to conduct graduate studies during residency and potential funding opportunities. |
2 |
Have applied to FRQS and CIHR Training Awards to support their Master’s or Doctoral candidature. |
3 |
Be in the process of applying to or enrolled in a full-time graduate degree program (MSc or PhD) for a minimum of 12 months in either in Surgical and Interventional Sciences or Epidemiology. Enrollment in other McGill graduate programs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. |
4 |
Apply to the McGill Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) |
APPLICATION PROCESS
Residents applying for the SSP must follow the four application steps detailed below:
STEP 1:
Intention to Apply – Deadline September 10th
Please complete the SSP Intention to Apply form and email to: surgicalscientist.med [at] mcgill.ca by September 15.
Click here for the Intentions to Apply form (PDF file)
STEP 2:
Application to FRQS and CIHR Training Awards
To be eligible to apply for the SSP and McGill Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) residents must have also applied for both the FRQS and CIHR training awards.
TIMELINE: For SSP support starting on July 1, 2025, the applicant is required to apply for FRSQ and CIHR training awards by the following deadlines:
Government Agency Award |
Application Deadline |
|---|---|
|
FRQS: Master’s Training Scholarships for applicants with a Professional Degree |
October 3rd, 2024 at 16:00 (EST) |
|
FRQS: Doctoral Training Scholarships for applicants with a Professional Degree |
October 3rd, 2024 at 16:00 (EST) |
| CIHR: Canada Graduate Scholarships - Masters Awards | December 1st, 2024 |
| CIHR: Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral Program | October 17th, 2024 |
ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS: April 2025 |
|
More information about FRQS and CIHR scholarship awards are available at the links below:
FRQS Master’s Training Scholarships for applicants with a Professional Degree
FRQS Doctoral Training Scholarships for applicants with a Professional Degree
CIHR Health Research Training Award Programs:
** NOTE: Please keep in mind that graduate students are not allowed to receive multiple scholarship/salary awards at the same time; therefore, some residents may have to decline scholarship offers from FRQS and CIHR. However, residents who are successful in their FRQS and CIHR applications will receive a bonus award from the SSP, the Surgical Scientist Excellence Award.
STEP 3:
Full Application – Deadline December 6th
Surgeon Scientist Program applicants must apply to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) accredited McGill Clinician Investigator Program (CIP).
Benefits of being accepted to the CIP program include:
- Receiving competency-based training to become clinician-investigators.
- Opportunities for mentorship and networking.
- RCPSC certification as a ‘Clinician Investigator’
- Eligibility to receive RAMQ funding during the period of research training.
Given the importance of this program for surgical residents, prior to applying to CIP, we request that the McGill CIP application package be submitted to SSP for internal review.
The complete submission package should be emailed to: surgicalscientist.med [at] mcgill.ca by December 6.
The CIP application package includes:
1 |
A one-page letter of intent explaining your motivations for applying to the CIP, your expectations, and future goals as a Clinician Scientist |
2 |
Research Project Summary including background, hypothesis, objectives, and brief methodology used for the research proposal.
|
3 |
Candidate's Canadian Common CV (CCV) – version - CIHR Academic.
|
4 |
Supervisor’s - CIHR Biosketch CV.
|
5 |
Letter of support from your research supervisor |
6 |
Proof of submitted applications to both the FRQS award (Master’s or Doctoral Training for Applicants with a Professional Degree) and the CIHR award (Masters (CGS-M) or Doctoral (CGS-D) Canada Graduate Scholarship)PDF copies of confirmation emails are acceptable. |
Please consult McGill Clinician Investigator Program /Apply Now for further information.
Residents will receive feedback on their CIP application packages by December 20.
NOTE: Your PDF documents can be merged using PDF Merge
STEP 4:
Submit your application to the McGill Clinical Investigator Program (CIP)
Deadline January 6th, 2025
After addressing feedback from SSP internal reviewers, please submit your McGill CIP application package to cip.med [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Application%20to%20the%20CIP) (Julia Boyko) (CIP Program Coordinator Tel: 514-340-8222 ext. 2479) via email at cip.med [at] mcgill.ca;
In your email, please cc Carolynna Olha (surgicalscientist.med [at] mcgill.ca)