Career Enhancement Program  

These awards are intended for candidates who wish to pursue a career as a child health clinician-scientist and have already attained salary support at a national level but are still seeking advanced training. Successful candidates will gain complete access to the same scientist development curriculum as a salary supported trainee. Through an individualized research development plan, CEP trainees will enhance their skills ranging from research methods, to managing multi-site teams, to personal wellness, and other relevant topics for clinician-scientists. For a complete overview of the curriculum, please visit the curriculum tab.

 

Child health clinician scientist trainees receiving a salary award from a research organization (e.g. governmental or non-profit foundation) that grants research training and/or career development awards similar in scope to those granted by CCHCSP via a national competition (e.g. CIHR Fellowships, CIHR Clinician Scientist Program, CIHR New Investigator Award, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Fellowship, Kidney Foundation of Canada Fellowships and Scholarships, etc.). Candidates should contact CCHCSP to determine the eligibility of a specific award prior to applying.  Provincial or local institutional awards do not meet eligibility requirements. Current CCHCSP awardees who receive a national award during their CCHCSP tenure will be automatically switched to the status of CEP and their CCHCSP stipend payments will stop.

 

Location of Tenure: The award must be held at one of the 17 CCHCSP partnering Institutions, and/or child health research centres/institutes affiliated with these universities. Please speak to your Centre Leader for more details. Centre Leaders are not eligible to apply.

Citizenship: This program is open to Canadians and permanent residents of Canada.

Licensure: Applicants must be licensed to practice their clinical specialty in Canada and/or within the Province of the CCHCSP Centre to which they are applying from. Applicants who are in a combined research and clinical program, which will result in a license upon program completion are also eligible for the Career Enhancement Program.

Degrees: Candidates must hold an appropriate health professional degree and must have completed (or be completing for those in a combined program) the appropriate education and clinical training to meet the requirements of an appropriate licensing body to practice as a child health professional in Canada. Professional degrees that are eligible include but are not limited to: medicine, surgery, pharmacy, nursing, psychology, nutrition, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, audiologists, speech language pathologists, sports medicine rehabilitation, respiratory therapists, optometry, chiropractic, and midwifery.

Applicants must fulfill the corresponding eligibility guidelines of a regular CCHCSP Salary Award in order to apply for a CEP. This includes the requirement that applicants are training to be a Clinician-Scientist. Applicants may apply at each level of study (PhD, PDF, CDA), with success limited to once per phase of training. 

Award: Trainees will receive complete access to the CCHCSP Program including a travel grant to attend the CCHCSP Annual Symposium.

Duration: 2 years minimum – 4 year maximum.

Deadline to apply: This award is an open call (no specific deadlines) and applicants are welcome to submit an application once they have received a notice of award from the national program providing their stipend.

When you are ready to submit your application click on the “submit now” button above to complete the online form. You will be asked to upload each of the required documents below.

A complete application consists of:

  1. CEP application form: Please find a link below under related documents. Name it “1 CandidateLastname _CEPApp”.
  2. Proof of Canadian licensure: Documentation of general or academic license by an appropriate licensing body. Must be valid within the province you are studying. Please include expiration date on uploaded document. If you are in a combined clinical and research program, please upload a letter of proof of clinical training end date and intent to apply for a license from your clinical supervisor. Please name it “2 CandidateLastname _License”
  3. Proof of citizenship: A pdf of your passport is preferred when applicable. Please name it “3 CandidateLastname_Citizenship”
  4. National award application: Please provide a pdf or your award application and name it “4 CandidateLastname_Award App”
  5. Award Statement: Please provide a copy of your personnel award statement from a granting organization that adjudicates at the national level. This statement should include a start date, end date and/or duration.  Please name it “5 CandidateLastname_AwardState”
  6. Your CIHR Academic CV Module. Please name it “6 CandidateLastname_CV”
  7. Your Primary Mentor or Supervisor’s CIHR Academic CV Module. Please name it “7 CandidateLastname_CVSup” or “7 CandidateLastname_CVMentor”
  8. “Mentorship Plan”. This letter should be 1 page maximum, written and signed by your supervisor(s), mentor(s) and Centre Leader. Prior to your application, kindly meet with your mentorship team to obtain a clear explanation of expectations and develop a path for your training. This letter will describe the plans of your mentorship discussed in that meeting. Kindly name it “8 CandidateLastName_MP”

  1. Program Manager will send the application to the Selection Committee Chair, who will invite 2 Selection committee members to review the applications.
  2. Program Manager will email the 2 members with links to the applications and evaluation form
  3. An evaluation form will be completed for all applicants. Completed evaluation forms will be emailed to the Program Manager.
  4. Program Manager will compile the results and send them to the Director and Selection Committee Chair and Co-Chair. A telecom will be held between the Director, Selection Committee Chair, Co-Chair and Program Manager (ex officio) to determine if the applicant should be considered for funding. All applicants who attain an average score greater that 4.0 are eligible to be awarded, based on program capacity.
  5. This process should be completed within a 6-8 week period.