ResearchNet - RechercheNet

Funding Organization
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Program Name
Other : Health System Impact Fellowship ARCHIVED
(Health System Impact Fellowship)
Sponsor(s)
CIHR’s Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR), in partnership with the Institute of Aging (IA), Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH), Institute of Gender and Health (IGH), Institute of Infection and Immunity (III), Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH), Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD), Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH), Healthy Cities Research Initiative (HCRI), Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) and Mitacs.
Program Launch Date
2020-11-19
Deadline Date
TBD

Important Dates

Competition 202102HIF
CLOSED
Application Deadline 2021-02-18
Anticipated Notice of Decision 2021-06-24
Funding Start Date 2021-09-01

Notices

CIHR has extended the Anticipated Notice of Decision for this funding opportunity. (Updated: 2021-06-22)

As previously announced, CIHR is resuming its strategic competitions. New competition dates are now confirmed for this funding opportunity and applicants are able to:

It is recommended that the funding opportunity text be reviewed carefully as changes may have been made since the initial launch. This includes a new option to add an attachment related to COVID-19. If you have any questions, please contact the CIHR Contact Centre at support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca or 1-888-603-4178.

  1. This funding opportunity was launched in the fall of 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. CIHR paused the competition and other strategic funding opportunities in March 2020 due to COVID-19. CIHR is now resuming the competition and is accepting applications. Adaptations to the funding opportunity have been made to recognize the COVID-19 context and the likelihood of virtual/remote embedded fellowships.
  2. The budget for this funding opportunity has been expanded to fund both the 2020 cohort affected by the delayed competition and the 2021 cohort that would, under pre-COVID circumstances, have been funded via a forthcoming launch later this fall. Instead, the forthcoming fall launch has been incorporated within the present funding opportunity.

(Updated: 2020-11-19)

Information webinar: The Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) and CIHR will be holding an information session to provide participants and host partner organizations with information on the requirements of the Health System Impact Fellowship funding opportunity, provide details on how to apply and to answer questions. To find out more information and to register, visit CIHR’s Learning Centre.

CIHR is providing a Partner Linkage Tool that is intended to facilitate connections between applicants and organizations that have expressed interest in hosting doctoral trainees and/or post-doctoral fellows should there be interest. This is not a mandatory tool. Information is provided on a volunteer basis and does not confer any advantages in the evaluation and funding of applications. The table will be updated weekly, until the application deadline. If you would like to use this tool, please complete a short survey. The information you provide will appear on a public CIHR web page. Please note that potential applicants are not required to use the linkage tool or contact those who have submitted their information.

Information resources for applicants: FAQ document [ PDF (358 KB) ].

Table of Contents

Description


The Health System Impact (HSI) Fellowship (for doctoral trainees and post-doctoral fellows) provides highly-qualified doctoral trainees and post-doctoral fellows studying health services and policy research (HSPR), or related fields, a unique opportunity to apply their research and analytic talents to critical challenges in health care that are being addressed by health system and related organizations (e.g., public, private for-profit, not-for-profit, and Indigenous health organizations that are not universities) outside of the traditional university setting, and to also develop professional experience, new skills, and networks.

The HSI Fellowship provides doctoral and post-doctoral awardees, both referred to as fellows, with a paid experiential learning opportunity within health system and related organizations where they will dedicate the majority of their time towards a co-developed program of work that advances the organization’s impact goals and contributes to improved health system performance. Fellows will be exposed to how the health system and related organizations work, how decisions are made, how research and analytic skills can contribute to an organization’s performance, and the organization’s role in contributing to improved health and health system performance.

The HSI Fellowship contains a stream for doctoral trainees and a stream for post-doctoral fellows:

Flexibility in the time commitment will enable fellows to make meaningful contributions to an organization’s impact goal, become immersed in the culture and operations of the organization, and benefit from mentorship by executive leaders, while also protecting time to continue with doctoral program commitments or post-doctoral academic research with an academic supervisor. This immersion in both the health system and academic communities, and the co-mentorship by a health system leader and an academic supervisor, are unique elements of the HSI Fellowship program.

HSI Fellows’ experiential learning will also be enhanced through two training offerings:

Program Motivation

The HSI Fellowship for doctoral trainees and post-doctoral fellows is a core component of a multi-year training modernization funding initiative that stems from the Canadian Health Services and Policy Research Alliance’s (CHSPRA’s) Training Modernization Strategy [ PDF (324 KB) - external link ]. The Training Modernization Strategy identifies key strategic directions to modernize university-based HSPR doctoral and post-doctoral training programs for optimized career readiness and impact. The strategy recognizes and addresses the disconnect between the prospective career trajectories of today’s PhD graduates – which are diverse and which often involve multiple sectors other than the university – and existing PhD training programs that remain predominantly geared towards academic careers. Within health services and policy, the potential contribution of well-prepared PhD graduates to inform health policy and system transformation is considerable. The Training Modernization Strategy outlines a roadmap to harness this potential.

In addition to preparing PhD trainees and post-doctoral fellows with the professional skills, competencies, experiences and networks to make meaningful and impactful contributions to our health system, the HSI Fellowship also aims to build demand and capacity among health system and related employer organizations for PhD talent. The program links health system organizations with a cohort of the country’s rising stars in HSPR and related fields (including, but are not limited to, population health, health economics, artificial intelligence, health policy, public health, epidemiology, gerontology, data science, Indigenous Peoples’ health, etc.). In doing so, the program aims to move Canada along the path towards learning health systems.

Overall, the HSI Fellowship blends research and professional competency development with practical, hands on experience that is complemented with unique mentorship, leadership, and capacity strengthening opportunities. It welcomes a diversity of types of projects and programs of work ꟷ including applied research, policy analysis, quality improvement, intervention research, surveillance, and more – as long as the work relates to critical challenges in health care that are being addressed by the organization and that the work contributes to achieving the health system organization’s impact goal. This is the fourth launch of the program, and examples of previously funded HSI Fellows, their host partner organizations, and programs of work can be found on CIHR’s website.

Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support applications that are relevant to the broad mandate of health services and policy research, and related fields (e.g., population and public health, health informatics, epidemiology, Indigenous Peoples’ health, economics, artificial intelligence, data science). CIHR-IHSPR’s strategic plan provides a helpful definition of HSPR (see section 3 “Our Story: Health Services and Policy Research in Canada”). Within this broad mandate, the Health System Impact Fellowship funding opportunity will support applications relevant to following areas identified by Institute collaborators and competition partners:

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to awards received as a result of this funding opportunity.

Distribution of Funding within Streams:

Note: The location of the host employer partner organization defines the applicant’s regional funding pool. Applicants must select a maximum of one funding pool to which to apply.

* The New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF) and the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) have expressed interest in supporting all or a portion of the 30% host partner organization funding contribution for applicants working with host partner organizations in their respective provinces as follows:


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Objectives


The Health System Impact Fellowship is expected to:


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Eligibility


Eligibility to Apply

For an application to be eligible:

  1. The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must be one of the following:
    1. Stream A: a trainee who is enrolled full-time in a doctoral degree and studying HSPR or related fields* for their doctoral training at Canadian CIHR eligible institution and who has not previously held a HSI doctoral Fellowship award.
    2. Stream B: a trainee who has obtained their doctoral degree in a HSPR or related field* no more than six1 years prior to the application deadline or who has completed their PhD requirements by the start date of the award (September 1, 2021 and who has not previously held a HSI post-doctoral Fellowship award.

    Note: the NPA must not be a current or past employee of their proposed host partner organization or a current owner or shareholder of their proposed host partner organization (unless the candidate falls within the special case exception - see FAQ document [ PDF (358 KB) ] for definition of current or past employee).

  2. A health system supervisor that is a senior-level decision maker from a health system or related organization** in Canada (and who is a different individual than the academic supervisor – see below) that has committed to hosting the trainee for the experiential learning opportunity must be identified as the Primary Supervisor.
  3. An academic supervisor who has an academic appointment with a university-based graduate training program in Canada and who conducts research in health services and policy or a related field* (and who is a different individual than the health system supervisor) must be identified as the Supervisor. For applicants to the doctoral stream, the academic supervisor must be the trainee’s primary PhD supervisor. For applicants to the post-doctoral stream, the academic supervisor must secure the fellow with post-doctoral status at the university by the start date of the fellowship.
  4. The HSI Fellowship is open to Canadians, permanent residents, and citizens of other countries, but:
    1. The award must be used for an experiential learning opportunity at a host partner organization located in Canada; and
    2. The fellow must be registered at an eligible institution (see the CIHR Application Administration Guide – Part 4) at the time of the award start date.
  5. Applying for other awards: A candidate can apply for the HSI Fellowship and other federal awards programs (e.g., Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral (CGS D), Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS), Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships (Banting PDF), Mitacs Accelerate) in the same year (see Conditions of Funding, holding other awards, below).
  6. The applicant must complete one of CIHR’s three interactive modules on sex and gender in research and include the completion certificate with their HSI Fellowship application (see How to Apply section for further details).
  7. Applicants are permitted to submit only one application per HSI Fellowship competition.

*Examples of HSPR or related fields include, but are not limited to, population health, health economics, health policy, Indigenous Peoples’ health, artificial intelligence, public health, epidemiology, gerontology, data science, etc.

**A health system or related host partner organization may be a public, private for-profit, or not-for-profit organization at the local, regional, provincial/territorial, or federal/national level (e.g., national health or health-related organization, Indigenous health organization [community-based or other such as an Indigenous non-governmental organization], ministry of health, community hospital, academic teaching hospital, health authority, quality council, public health organization, health charity, consulting firm undertaking health or health-related work, pharmaceutical company, health-related professional association). A health system or related host partner organization is defined as an organization that contributes to: direct service delivery; mandated quality monitoring; the development of policy or programs that affects the health of individuals, populations and/or the health system; the development, provision or evaluation of technologies/products/services; or consulting services aimed at improving health outcomes and/or health system effectiveness and efficiency.

While universities and university-based research institutes may play an important role in the HSI Fellowship, they are not eligible host partner organizations in this funding opportunity.

Please refer to the HSI Fellowship Host Partner Organization page for a list of organizations that have expressed interest in hosting trainees. The list is not exhaustive; applicants may also approach organizations that are not on the list.


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Guidelines


General CIHR Policies

Successful applicants funded through this funding opportunity and any other persons working on the project must fully comply with the applicable CIHR Funding Policies.

Allowable Costs

Applicants should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Guide on Financial Administration for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

The professional development training and research allowance is primarily intended for, but not limited to, the following expenses:

Conditions of Funding


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Review Process and Evaluation


Relevance Review Process

CIHR and partners will perform relevance review to identify applications that are in alignment with the objectives and research areas of this funding opportunity.

Applications that are not deemed to be relevant will be withdrawn from the competition.

Review Process

A CIHR review committee will evaluate the full applications. Members will include researchers and leaders from health system and related organizations. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s)/branch(es) and partner(s), following the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of Federal Research Funding Organizations.

Peer review will be conducted in accordance with the CIHR Reviewers’ Guide for the Health System Impact Fellowship. An extract from this guide demonstrating how each criterion will be assessed is included in the Additional Information section. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review it.

For information on CIHR’s peer review principles, see the Peer Review: Overview section of CIHR’s website.

Evaluation Criteria

To support the strategic objectives of this funding opportunity, the following evaluation criteria will be used.

  1. Achievements and potential of the applicant (25%):
    1. Professional achievements and leadership potential, given training/career stage
    2. Academic achievements and activities given career stage, and relevance of these to HSI Fellowship Objectives
    3. For research involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples: demonstration of the capacity and track record of the Nominated Principal Applicant to work and engage with Indigenous communities in a meaningful and culturally safe way
  2. Quality of the host partner organization’s and academic institution’s training environment, supervision and mentorship (35%):
    1. Quality and career impact potential of the professional development training and mentorship plan for the candidate, including the appropriateness of virtual and/or in-person strategies for training and mentorship and the extent to which both supervisors are involved
    2. Demonstration of supervisors’ (health system and academic) commitment to program objectives
    3. Quality and fit of the learning environment (host partner organization and university) , including, when applicable, strategies to optimize the value and quality of the virtual learning environment
  3. Quality, potential impact and feasibility of the applicant’s project/program of work proposal (20%)
    1. Extent to which the project/program of work proposal addresses a critical challenge/impact goal faced by the host partner organization (i.e., importance and relevance) and the impact potential within the organization
    2. Appropriateness of project/program of work approach and knowledge translation/knowledge user engagement strategy
    3. For projects involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, demonstrate that the proposed program respects Indigenous values and ways of knowing and sharing and aligns with CIHR’s definition of Indigenous health research
    4. Feasibility of project/program of work proposal (i.e., appropriateness of the scope of work in relation to the duration of the fellowship and strength of analysis of potential risks and challenges to implementing the work)
    5. Clarity of the proposal
  4. Potential value-add to the applicant and the host partner organization (20%)
    1. Strength, clarity and relevance of the applicant’s statement of motivation for applying, including the extent to which the HSI Fellowship will add value to the trainee’s doctoral or post-doctoral training and advance the trainee’s career objectives
    2. Extent to which hosting the fellow will add value to the organization (i.e., what will be achieved that could not without the fellow?)

For further information on the evaluation criteria, see Additional Information.

Funding Decision

Upon completion of peer review, CIHR and partners will receive the ranking list, ratings and recommendations on funding level and award term for the applications that fall in the fundable range and have been determined to be relevant to the specific research areas and objectives of the initiative.

Funding decisions will be made in order to maximize funding per pool allocation while respecting rank order for all fundable applications.

Partner and Internal Collaborator Participation

The opportunity to add new partners and internal collaborators to this funding opportunity may arise after publication. These partners and internal collaborators may not be listed; however, the principles that govern relevance review, including consent to share information and funding decisions, will still apply.


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How to Apply


How to Apply

Specific instructions to complete your ResearchNet application

Task: Identify Participants

Task: Enter Proposal Information

Research Proposal

Note: “Research Proposal” is the standard ResearchNet term. In this context, “Research Proposal” refers to the “project/program of work proposal” specified in Evaluation Criteria #2).

The project/program of work proposal can be five (5) pages maximum not including references or the work plan table. The proposal must include the following headings and follow the indicated page limit restrictions:

  1. Motivation for Applying and Value-Add (1 page max. See Evaluation Criteria #4)
    Outline:
    • Your motivation for applying, what you hope to achieve with your HSI Fellowship, how it will strengthen your skills and advance your ability to achieve your career goals, how it will enrich your overall doctoral/post-doctoral training, and your rationale for the top three enriched core competencies identified for development
    • Why your host partner organization and academic institution are ideal training environments given your motivations for applying and your targeted enriched competencies for professional growth
  2. Relevant Accomplishments and Abilities (1/2 page max. See Evaluation Criteria #1)
    To complement the information available in your CIHR Biosketch CV, briefly highlight your top professional and academic accomplishments and skills relevant to the HSI Fellowship Objectives
  3. Training Environment and Support (1.5 pages. See Evaluation Criteria #2)
    Note: This section is to be completed primarily by your health system and academic supervisors, in collaboration with you. Describe:
    • The environment the trainee will be working within, including virtual/remote environments (e.g., independently or within a team, engagement in internal and external meetings, access to data, connections to key stakeholders and decision makers relevant to the projects, access to office space and supplies, etc.);
    • The mentorship and professional development training plan designed to accelerate the trainee’s professional growth, including the enriched core competencies the supervisors (health system and academic) will help the trainee develop and how (e.g., specific courses/workshops, training opportunities, experiential learning, conferences and meetings, creating a committee of health system and academic mentors, virtual/remote training opportunities);
    • The support (from both the organization and university) that will be provided to help the trainee accomplish the project/program of work (e.g., methods training, introductions to key partners and stakeholders, access to required data and training on how to use);
    • How the health system and academic supervisors will work together as a team to jointly train, mentor and supervise the trainee, and whether this collaboration builds on an existing relationship;
    • The anticipated strategies the host partner organization will use to achieve the HSIF objective that organizations “harness the benefits that research-trained individuals can bring for improved decision-making.”
  4. Proposed Project/Program of Work Proposal (2 pages max. See Evaluation Criteria #3)
    In collaboration     with your health system supervisor and academic supervisor, outline the project/program of work you will undertake within your partner organization, including:
    • Title of the proposed project/program of work;
    • A clear statement of the organization’s impact goal(s) which the project/program of work will address and the anticipated impact and value for the organization;
    • Objective(s) of your program of work or project in relation to the organization’s impact goal;
    • Anticipated design/approach to undertaking the project/program of work, including the knowledge translation and stakeholder engagement strategy and, where applicable, the strategies to optimize virtual/remote tools and approaches;
    • Implementation plan, and opportunities and risks to consider when implementing program of work proposal, including risk mitigation strategies;
    • How the project/program of work aligns with, complements, or advances your doctoral/post-doctoral research experience; and
    • The percentage of time (60-100%) you will spend embedded within your host partner organization advancing the proposed project/program of work and, briefly, how you will spend the remaining percentage of time.
  5. Research Proposal Appendix
    General letters of support for the project or applicant cannot be appended.

    Note: Reviewers are under no obligation to read the Research Proposal appendix other than to read references, tables, charts, figures and photographs.

Task: Attach Other Application Materials

  1. Letters of Support: Letters of Support from Primary Supervisor (health system) and Supervisor (academic):
    • Supervisors are encouraged to review the Evaluation Criteria, (particularly #3 and #4), upon which the applicant’s proposal and letters of support will be assessed.
      • Primary Supervisor Letter (letter 1): Attach one letter of support from the Primary Supervisor (health system) with the following minimum specifications:
        • The name of the Primary Supervisor and their position within the organization;
        • The organization’s impact goal and the anticipated impact and value the HSI Fellow will bring to the organization (see Evaluation Criteria #3 and #4b);
        • The commitment to provide the fellow with a 1-year (for doctoral trainees) or 2-year (for post-doctoral fellows) experiential learning opportunity including a commitment to engage with the fellow and her/his academic supervisor to develop a high-quality, relevant and feasible mentorship and professional development training plan;
        • The percentage of the fellow’s time that will be committed to the proposed program of work (60-100% for doctoral trainees; 70-100% for post-doctoral fellows);
        • Protection of the balance of the fellow’s time, if any, for the trainee to continue with her/his doctoral program commitments (for doctoral applicants) or academic research (for post-doctoral applicants);
        • Confirmation of the minimum 30% host partner organization cash contribution
          • Applicants with a New Brunswick host partner organization who wish to have the NBHRF provide the 30% partner contribution must include a letter of funding confirmation from the NBHRF that also attests that the applicant is eligible for NBHRF funds (contact: Leah Carr: leah.carr@nbhrf.com).
          • Applicants with a Saskatchewan host partner organization who wish to have SHRF provide the 30% partner contribution or a portion thereof must include a letter of funding confirmation from SHRF that also attests that the applicant is eligible for SHFR funds (contact: Patrick Odnokon: podnokon@shrf.ca).
        • Provision for the trainee to participate in professional development training that aligns with the enriched HSPR core competencies; and
        • Attestation that the fellow is not a current or past employee of the host partner organization or that the organization and fellow fit the special exception case (Refer to FAQ document [ PDF (358 KB) ] for the definition of “current or past employee” and the definition of "special exception case").

          Note: The application may qualify for co-funding by Mitacs. Please review the Mitacs memorandum [ Zip File (1,488 KB) - external link ] and clearly indicate in your letter your consent to flow your 30% host partner contribution to the fellow through Mitacs.

        • Supervisor Letter (letter 2): Attach one letter of support from the Supervisor (academic) with the following minimum specifications:
          • The name of the Supervisor, their position within the university, and primary departmental affiliation;
          • Confirmation that the Supervisor’s research and expertise is in HSPR or relevant fields (e.g., departmental affiliation, relevant grants and awards);
          • Protection of 60-100% of the applicant’s time for experiential learning within the host partner organization;
          • Provision of academic supervision for the remaining percentage of time (if any) on doctoral program commitments (for doctoral applicants) or academic research (for post-doctoral applicants) and for the embedded program of work undertaken with the Primary Supervisor, as needed;
          • The commitment to engage with the fellow and their host partner organization supervisor to develop a high-quality, relevant and feasible mentorship and professional development training plan for the fellow;
          • Provision for the trainee to participate in professional development training that aligns with the enriched HSPR core competencies; and
          • For doctoral trainee applicants: Confirmation that the NPA is a doctoral trainee at the university, will remain enrolled in the doctoral program throughout the duration of the HSI Fellowship, and is supervised by the Supervisor
          • For post-doctoral applicants: Confirmation that the trainee is a post-doctoral fellow of the university (or will be by the fellowship start date)
  2. Other: Attach the following under document type “Other”:
    • Certificate of Completion for one CIHR interactive module on sex and gender in research.
    • Degree Information
      • Attach a document no longer than half a page that clearly specifies the applicant's PhD program, the name of the department and university administering the PhD program, and explains how the PhD degree and related training (e.g., course work, dissertation, other post-doctoral training) is relevant to HSPR.
    • Work plan table:
      • Attach a one-page document detailing anticipated key activities, milestones and deliverables for the program of work within the host partner organization (e.g., Gantt chart or other).
    • Label as: “Indigenous Health Research”:
      • For any applications involving Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), this funding opportunity seeks applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or applicants who have experience of meaningful and culturally safe engagement with Indigenous Peoples. Applicants proposing research specifically involving Indigenous Peoples must therefore submit a one (1) page “Other” attachment describing how they meet this requirement.

    Impact of COVID-19

    To take into account the impact of COVID-19 on the reduced ability to conduct research during the lockdown and progressive return to work, an additional 1 page can be attached in the “Attach Other Application Materials” section of your application outlining how the applicants were affected, depending of their stage of career, personal situations and area of research.

  3. Official Transcripts2 (for doctoral applicants only);
    • Applicants are required to provide the following documents, which must be uploaded as a single PDF document (unprotected) not to exceed 30 MB:
      1. Doctoral Studies Timelines Form: Applicants must print this form from the CIHR website under Index of Funding Related Forms.
      2. Official transcripts of the applicant's complete academic record to date (this includes all undergraduate and graduate studies, completed or ongoing). Instructions below must also be followed:
        • One copy of the legend (reverse of each transcript) must be included;
        • Transcript text must be horizontal and uploaded in order from least recent to most recent. Original copies of any uploaded transcripts must be retained since they may be requested by CIHR for verification purposes at any point in the process.

Task: Apply to Priority Announcements/Funding Pools

Task: Print/Upload Signature Pages


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Contact Information


For all inquiries please contact:

CIHR Contact Centre
Telephone: 613-954-1968
Toll Free: 1-888-603-4178
Email: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For service hours, please consult our Contact us page.


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Sponsor Description


Note: Additional partners/collaborators, including partners/collaborators from industry and the private sector may join this funding initiative over the coming year.

Partners

Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS)
The mission of the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS), which reports to the Minister of Economy and Innovation, is to support health research to foster the wellness of Québec’s population. Its mandate is to promote and financially support such research, to disseminate knowledge and train researchers, to forge the partnerships necessary for the development of Quebec's research and innovation system, and, lastly, to advance research internationally.

Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR)
The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), funded by the province of British Columbia, is BC's health research funding agency. MSFHR helps develop, retain and recruit the talented people whose research improves the health of British Columbians, addresses health system priorities, creates jobs and adds to the knowledge economy. More information is available on their website.

Mitacs
Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization that designs and delivers research and training programs in Canada. In partnership with companies, eligible not-for-profit organizations, government and academia, Mitacs is developing the next generation of innovators with vital scientific and business skills.

Internal Collaborators

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada’s health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.

CIHR Healthy Cities Research Initiative (HCRI)
The CIHR HCRI is a major initiative led by the Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) with the Institute of Aging (IA), the Institute of Gender and Health (IGH), the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH), the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA), the Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD), and the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR). The HCRI is designed to deepen Canada's scientific leadership in planning, designing and building healthy and resilient cities.

CIHR – Institute of Aging (IA)
IA's mandate is to support research, to promote healthy aging and to address causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with aging.  Unlike many other CIHR Institutes, which are focused on particular diseases, IA's mandate is the aging person in an aging society, and the effects of different diseases and conditions on aging. Its goal is to improve the quality of life and health of older Canadians by understanding and addressing or preventing the consequences of a wide range of factors associated with aging.

CIHR – Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is dedicated to supporting research that reduces the burden of cancer on individuals and families through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, effective treatment, psychosocial support systems, and palliation.

CIHR – Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH)
ICRH supports research into the causes, mechanisms, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with the heart, lung, brain (stroke), blood, blood vessels, critical and intensive care, and sleep. The ICRH vision is to achieve international leadership by fostering an environment of openness, excitement, energy, commitment and excellence in highly ethical, partnered initiatives focused on research, research training, and research translation for the circulatory and respiratory sciences and for the betterment of the health of Canadians.

CIHR – Institute of Gender and Health (IGH)
To foster research excellence regarding the influence of sex and gender on health and to apply these findings to identify and address pressing health challenges facing men, women, girls, boys and gender-diverse people.

CIHR - Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR)
IHSPR is dedicated to positioning Canada as a global leader in optimizing health and health outcomes in the population through the provision of evidence-informed healthcare services. IHSPR’s mission is to foster excellence and innovation in health services and policy research and catalyze the application of research finding to policies, practice and programs that provide real-world benefit and enhance the provision of high-quality care for Canadians.

CIHR – Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH)
The Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH) fosters the advancement of a national health research agenda to improve and promote the health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in Canada, through research, knowledge translation and capacity building. The Institute’s pursuit of research excellence is enhanced by respect for community research priorities and Indigenous knowledge, values and cultures.

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)
The Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) supports research and helps to build research capacity in the areas of infectious disease and the body's immune system. Through the Institute's programs, researchers address a wide range of health concerns related to infection and immunity including disease mechanisms, disease prevention and treatment, and health promotion through public policy. The Institute’s mission is to provide national leadership, priorities and programs to promote novel infection and immunity research. We strive to promote health and reduce the global burden of infection and immune-based diseases through an approach based on CIHR’s overarching core values of: excellence; scientific integrity and ethics; collaboration; innovation; and public interest. To learn more about III’s current strategic research priorities, please visit its website.

CIHR – Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA)
INMHA supports research that enhances knowledge of the brain - mental health, neurological health, vision, hearing and cognitive functioning. Our goal is to reduce the burden of brain illness through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support system and palliation. We will improve understanding of human thought and emotion, behaviour, sensation (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) perception, learning, and memory.

CIHR – Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism & Diabetes (INMD)
INMD's mandate supports research to enhance health in relation to diet, digestion, excretion, and metabolism; and to address causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions and problems associated with hormone, digestive system, kidney, and liver function.

CIHR – Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH)
The mandate of IPPH is to support research into the complex biological, social, cultural and environmental interactions that determine the health of individuals, communities and global populations; and to apply knowledge to improve the health of individuals and populations through strategic partnerships with population and public health stakeholders and innovative research funding programs. IPPH’s mission aims to improve the health of populations and promote health equity in Canada and globally through research and its application to policies, programs, and practice in public health and other sectors. To learn more about CIHR-IPPH’s strategic priorities please visit its website.


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Additional Information


Mitacs Co-Funding

Doctoral and post-doctoral applicants applying for a HSI Fellowship may be eligible for co-funding by Mitacs if their host partner meets Mitacs’ partner organization eligibility criteria. HSI Fellows (post-doctoral only) that are co-funded by CIHR and Mitacs will have access to the Mitacs Elevate professional development training program and Elevate cohort retreats, in addition to the HSI Fellowship enriched core competency and national cohort training. Two requirements of Mitacs funding are that:

  1. The partner organization’s 30% cash contribution flows through Mitacs (see FAQ document [ PDF (358 KB) ] for more information). Mitacs then forwards both the host partner’s and Mitacs’ contribution to the fellow’s academic institution for payment to the fellow. Primary Supervisors from the host partner organizations must indicate in their letter of support whether they provide consent to flow their funds through Mitacs. Mitacs must receive the partner organization’s contribution before it flows any funds to the academic institution. Note: if consent is not provided, the applicant’s proposal remains in the competition but is not eligible for Mitacs co-funding.
  2. HSI Fellows and their respective partner organizations and academic supervisors sign the Mitacs Memorandum, which will be sent to fellows by mail along with their notice of decision letter. The Mitacs Memorandum letter can be viewed online [ Zip File (1,488 KB) - external link ].

Further detail on the evaluation criteria for both applicants and reviewers

1. Achievements and potential of the applicant (25%):

Criterion:

a. Professional achievements and leadership potential, given training/career stage

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Notes for Reviewers:

Criterion:

b. Academic achievements and activities given career stage, and relevance to HSI Fellowship objectives

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Notes for Reviewers:

Criterion:

c. For research involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples: demonstration of the capacity and track record of the Nominated Principal Applicant to work and engage with Indigenous communities in a meaningful and culturally safe way

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

2. Quality of the host partner organization’s and academic institution’s training environment, supervision and mentorship (35%):

Criterion:

a. Quality and career impact potential of the professional development and mentorship plan for the candidate, including the appropriateness of virtual and/or in-person strategies for training and mentorship and the extent to which both supervisors are involved

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

Criterion:

b. Demonstration of supervisors’ commitment to program objectives

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

Criterion:

c. Quality and fit of the learning environment (host partner organization and university), including, when applicable, strategies to optimize the value and quality of the virtual learning environment

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Notes for Reviewers:

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3. Quality, potential impact and feasibility of the applicant’s project/program of work proposal (20%)

Criterion:

a. Extent to which the project/program of work proposal addresses a critical challenge/impact goal faced by the host partner organization (i.e., relevance) and impact potential within the organization

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

Criterion:

b. Appropriateness of project/program of work approach and knowledge translation/knowledge user engagement strategy

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

Criterion:

c. For projects involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, demonstrate that the proposed program respects Indigenous values and ways of knowing and sharing and aligns with CIHR’s definition of Indigenous health research

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

Criterion:

d. Feasibility of project/program of work proposal

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

Criterion:

e. Clarity of proposal

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Notes for Reviewers:

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4. Potential value-add to the applicant and the host partner organization (20%)

Criterion:

a. Strength, clarity and relevance of the applicant’s statement of motivation for applying, including the extent to which the HSI Fellowship will add value to the trainee’s doctoral or post-doctoral training and advance the trainee’s career objectives.

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

Criterion:

b. Extent to which hosting the fellow will add value to the organization

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Notes for Reviewers:

Consider:

  1. CIHR is temporarily adjusting the period of eligibility for post-doctoral fellows from five years to six years. This additional year of eligibility is in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. For the fall 2020 scholarships and fellowships competitions, the agencies will accept unofficial transcripts if official transcripts cannot be obtained.

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