Trainee Researcher in Pediatrics (TRIP)
The Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI), in partnership with the Department of Pediatrics, is pleased to offer a research-intensive pediatric residency training stream for residents with advanced research training and/or demonstrated aptitude. This stream is called Trainee Researcher in Pediatrics (TRIP), aims to support future pediatrician-scientists and will provide trainees with:
- a tailored mentorship team that will support residents’ unique research and career needs, including a research and a career mentor.
- advocacy and support in accessing formal training opportunities (e.g. postdoctoral fellowship, graduate studies, clinician investigator program).
- access to research skill-building opportunities that are individualized to their unique needs (e.g. biostatistics training, research methods, academic writing).
- funding and methodologic support to develop a research protocol and conduct a research project during the latter part of their residency program.
Eligibility
In order to apply to the TRIP program, residents must have:
- successfully entered the Core stage of their residency and demonstrated strong potential as a future pediatrician-scientist.
- demonstrated a strong research track record and/or a serious interest in research, as evidenced through a history of publications, presentations, and/or through an interview process.
Prior completion of a graduate research degree, or willingness to progress into a graduate program would be an asset, depending on the applicant’s research interests and prior experiences.
Application
Pediatric residents may apply to TRIP at any time after their first year of residency. There is no deadline. Residents are encouraged to contact WCHRI associate director, Todd Alexander, to discuss the program and potential suitability.
In order to apply to TRIP, residents must first seek approval from the Residency Program Committee (RPC) after discussing their interests with the pediatric residency program directors.
Once RPC approval is granted, residents will be invited to submit a letter of interest and their academic CV to WCHRI for review and consideration. Letters of interest will be reviewed by a small panel of clinician-scientists and will involve an interview process in order to optimize the mentorship team and research support.
About our research environment
The University of Alberta in Edmonton is one of Canada’s top teaching and research universities, with an international reputation for excellence across the humanities, sciences, creative arts, business, engineering and health sciences. Home to more than 38,000 students and 15,000 faculty and staff, the university has an annual budget of $1.9 billion and attracts more than $500 million in sponsored research revenue.
WCHRI is an interdisciplinary research institute with over 430 academic members from across 14 faculties and three colleges. We support research across several disciplines from discovery and clinical research to applied health, patient-oriented and community-based research. We are a research arm of the Stollery Children’s Hospital and are able to offer several unique research opportunities related to clinical trials, cohort studies and precision health research.
TRIP trainees will receive enhanced research mentorship from clinician-scientists within WCHRI and have access to research project consultation and support through WCHRI’s research platforms (e.g. biostatistics, data management, knowledge translation, clinical research coordination, etc…). TRIP trainees will also receive financial support in the form of an augmented resident research grant up to $10,000 (an application must be made to WCHRI, which will be peer-reviewed). Research time will be optimized during PGY1-3 and supplemented to the greatest extent possible during PGY4. Support will also be available for those interested in undertaking a postdoctoral fellowship or further graduate training either during or after residency, either through the Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) or other fellowship training opportunities. Numerous networking and mentorship opportunities will also be available through WCHRI’s research networks, the Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation (CSCI) and in collaboration with other research-intensive pediatric residency programs in Canada.
Updated December 2022