Invite Health Newsletter: Summer Research Programs 🔬
Summer research programs across Canada for post-secondary students
Welcome to the Invite Health newsletter. These newsletters will contain a roundup of student opportunities related to Canadian healthcare, including jobs, organizations, events, and more! We also highlight and interview students making an impact in Canadian healthcare. 💌
*I recommend reading this newsletter on a computer!
This newsletter highlights some summer research programs for post-secondary students. All of the summarized information is directly copied from each program’s websites. For the most up-to-date information and details, please read through each program’s websites.
Also, if you know students who completed these programs and would be open to being interviewed for Invite Health, please contact me on LinkedIn!
For Students ✏️
🔬 McGill Biomedical Research Accelerator (MBRA)
Host: McGill University
Who can apply: Students in their penultimate (second to last) year of studies who hold an interest in the field of biomedical research.
Research Focus: Biomedical research projects (ex: Chemical and Structural Biology, Quantitative Life Sciences, Neurodegenerative diseases, etc.)
Payment: Students are awarded $7,500
Duration: 15-week paid internship from May - August
Learn More: Read our interview with Nada I, who completed the MBRA program in summer 2022.
🔬 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at University of Toronto
Host: University of Toronto
Who can apply: Undergraduate BSc and medical students (who do not hold a graduate degree)
Research Focus: Biomedical research projects (ex: molecular biology, cognitive science, clinical investigation and bioethics).
Payment: Minimum $5,000 in total
Duration: Program runs from June - August
Learn More: Twitter
🔬 Keenan Research Summer Student (KRSS) Program at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto
Host: St. Michael’s Hospital
Who can apply:
Students who are in a full-time undergraduate degree program at time of application
Students in medical school full-time
High school graduates who are enrolled in a relevant undergraduate program for the fall (proof of enrollment is required)
Research Focus: Laboratory or clinical research, depending on the principal investigator (PI)
Payment: Students can be paid hourly wages or work as research volunteers
Duration: May - August
Extra Info: BIPOC stream available for students who self-identify
Learn More: Read our interview with Demi Callisto, who completed the KRSS Program in Summer 2022
🔬 Charles Hollenberg Summer Studentship Program at the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre at University of Toronto
Host: University of Toronto
Who can apply:
University students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or medical degree program at a Canadian University.
University students who will complete an undergraduate or medical degree program in May 2023 (but not earlier) and will be enrolled in either a graduate degree program or medical degree program commencing September 2023 (but not earlier).
Medical students who have received a prior graduate degree are eligible to apply.
Research Focus: Diabetes research
Payment: Student’s stipend is $6,150
Duration: May - August
Learn More: Twitter
Host: University of Toronto
Who can apply: Students enrolled in the medical degree (MD) program at University of Toronto, between their first and second year, or second and third year of medical school.
Research Focus: Depends on supervisor
Payment: Student’s stipend is $5,500
Duration: Late May/early June to mid/late August
🔬 Centre for Blood Research Summer Studentship Program at the University of British Columbia
Host: University of British Columbia (UBC)
Who can apply: Students (undergraduate and medical degree) who are currently registered at a recognized Canadian university, and international students at UBC
Research Focus: Research topics done by Canadian Blood Research’s (CBR) Principal Investigators, Research Associates, or Postdoctoral Fellows (PDF)
Payment: Students awarded up to $7,500
Duration: 8-16 weeks in length
Learn More: Twitter
🔬 T-CAIREM AI in Medicine Summer Research Studentship at University of Toronto
Host: University of Toronto
Who can apply:
This competition is not restricted to UofT students.
Students from any Canadian university who are currently enrolled in any undergraduate or professional degree (eg. medicine) program may apply. (We encourage applications from students in any discipline.)
Students from a Canadian university who will complete an undergraduate or medical degree program in May 2023 (but not earlier) or will be enrolled in a graduate degree program commencing September 2023 (but not earlier) may also apply.
International students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or medical degree program at any Canadian university are eligible for this program if they are legally allowed to work in Canada.
Research Focus: AI in medicine
Payment: Minimum of $6,400
Duration: May - August, 10 weeks
Learn More: Twitter
🔬 SickKids Summer Research Program (SSuRe)
Host: SickKids
Who can apply: Any student who will be enrolled in a university/college undergraduate program in the fall following the Summer Program or enrolled in medical school is eligible to be hired as a Research Summer Student. That includes high school students in their last year. If you are in your final year of undergraduate studies, you are eligible to be hired as a Research Summer Student so long as you will be, or have applied to be, enrolled in a university/college program in the fall.
Research Focus: Depends on research topic of the SickKids researcher / supervisor
Payment: Payment is negotiated between the student and supervisor; students must be paid the minimum hourly rate of $15.00 + 6% vacation
Duration: May to mid-August
Extra Info: Offers specific funding opportunities for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students (valued at approximately $8,500) & for students who are Indigenous, Black, Filipino, economically disadvantaged, or who self-identify as disabled (valued at $2,000 each), plus other funding opportunities
Learn More: Read our interview with Lloyd, who completed the program in 2021!
🔬 Sinai Health/UHN Geriatrics Summer Scholars Program
Host: Sinai Health, University Health Network (UHN)
Who can apply: Full-time students in an undergraduate, post-graduate or health professional degree program. In a clinical or non-clinical field anywhere in the world.
Research Focus: Projects related to fields of aging and geriatrics
Payment: Not disclosed on program’s website
Duration: 12 weeks, and students must commit full-time hours
Extra Info: Offers opportunities for shadowing clinicians and geriatricians in clinical settings
🔬 Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Summer Scholars Program (SSP) at McMaster University
Host: McMaster University. Participating labs / institutions include the Biochemistry and Biomedical Science Department (BBS), Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR), and Canada’s Global Nexus Faculty
Who can apply: The program is open to students who live in Ontario (residents) and who are enrolled in a STEM postsecondary degree/diploma program and who self-identify as any of the following:
Black
Indigenous
2SLGBTQIA+
*Applicants must have completed at least one semester of their degree program by May of 2023. Students who will have completed their degree requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree by May of 2023 are not eligible to apply.
Research Focus: Microbiology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Immunology, Drug Discovery, Metabolism, Cell Biology, Genomics, Stem Cells and Cancer Biology.
Payment: Students will be paid a stipend of $7,000 for the 12-week period and provided a meal card for dining on and off campus (valued at $900)
Duration: 12 weeks: two weeks of intensive skills training “boot camp” and a 10-week immersive research placement in the lab of a participating BBS, IIDR and/or Canada’s Global Nexus Facility
Extra Info: Other supports may be available to students including housing in residence, transportation, parking, and/or childcare
Learn More: Read our interview with Andrea M, who completed the program in Summer 2022!
Host: Sinai Health
Who can apply: Students who have completed, at the minimum, their second undergraduate year of a recognized university science program
Research Focus: Not described on website
Payment: Students will be paid at an hourly rate of $15.00 + 4% vacation pay
Duration: Program is three (3) months at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum, and students work full-time hours (37.5 hours per week)
Host: University of Toronto
Who can apply:
Students must have successfully completed a term in a full-time undergraduate program directly prior to the award period
Students must have an average of B+ (3.3 GPA) or higher in the two most recent terms to be eligible
Students who have completed their undergraduate program are not eligible, unless they have been accepted into an undergraduate professional program (medical undergraduate degree program).
Students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional program (medical undergraduate degree program) are eligible to apply.
University of Toronto and non-University of Toronto students may apply, including international students
Research Focus: Diet and cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and aging. Nutrition, cognitive function, and brain development. Food intake regulation and feeding behaviour. Pediatric nutrition from neonate to teenager. Biochemical and physiological function of food components - fiber, fatty acids, and anti-oxidants. Nutrition and poverty. Clinical nutrition.
Payment: From $5,000 to $6,000 for 12 to 16 weeks of research.
Duration: 12-16 weeks
Learn More: Read our interview with Samy C, who completed the program in Summer 2022!
🔬 Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (LMP) Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program (SURE)
Host: University of Toronto
Who can apply: Students registered in a full-time undergraduate program in the academic term immediately prior to the SURE program and expect to return to full-time studies at the end of the research program.
Research Focus: Dependent on your supervisor.
Payment: All students receive a minimum $5,500 stipend provided either by the supervisor or a combination of external awards and the supervisor.
Duration: 12 weeks during the summer (May - August)
Learn More: An interview with Yasmin S, who completed the program in 2022, will be available soon!
Extra Info: A number of awards are available to support summer research endeavours for LMP Pathobiology Specialist students and other students participating in the SURE program.
🔬 Summer Student Program at the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto
Host: University of Toronto
Who can apply: Open to all university undergraduate students in their first, second or third year of study. Co-op students in their 4th (out of 5) years are also encouraged to apply.
Research Focus: Biomedical Imaging, Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy, Cancer Mechanisms & Models, Cardiovascular Sciences, Data Science & Computational Biology, Image-Guided Therapy & Device Development, Neuroscience, Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine, Structural Biology
Payment: Salary provided. Salary amount not disclosed on website.
Duration: Second week of May to the end of August
🔬 Summer Student Research Program at Women’s College Hospital & Emily Stowe Scholar Program
Host: Women’s College Hospital
Who can apply: Summer Student Research Program: Undergraduate, graduate or health professional program students in the formative stages of their education who may be considering the option of a research career. Emily Stowe Scholar Program: open for grade 11 and grade 12 high school students who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, racialized, trans, two-spirit, non-binary or a person living with a disability.
Research Focus: Depends on faculty
Payment: Student positions are, paid full-time roles (37.5 hours a week) for a minimum of 12 weeks to a maximum of 16 weeks.
Duration: Summer Student Research Program: 37.5 hours a week for a minimum of 12 weeks to a maximum of 16 weeks. Emily Stowe Scholar Program: temporary full-time (35 hours per week) opportunity will take place from July 4th to August 11th, 2023.
Inviting Ideas & Discussion💭
Research gives us the knowledge we seek
Hope everyone is ready to enjoy their break 💌
About Invite Health 💌
Invite Health is on a mission is to invite students to learn and participate in Canadian healthcare.
We write newsletters that feature a roundup of student opportunities (jobs, events, organizations, etc.) related to Canadian healthcare. We also interview students making an impact in Canadian healthcare.
More exciting things are coming soon, so stay tuned! 👀
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