The MSSRP is a research training bursary in which supervisors submit a project and may either pre-select a student or interview candidates; once a supervisor–student pairing is confirmed, it undergoes peer review and is ranked based on the project’s alignment with the student’s career goals and the feasibility of the proposed training plan within program parameters. The projects span the gamut of research domains across the faculty: clinical, translational, basic science, quality improvement, education, etc. The skills gained in this program provides medical students with experience and skills to support their clinical and research career development.

All faculty members with a primary academic appointment to the Faculty of Medicine at the level of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor (PhD or MD) are eligible to submit a project to this program and supervise a summer medical student.  Adjunct Professors & Lecturers are not eligible for this program.  

Each year, we will identify priority areas in collaboration with our partners. These priorities will be guided by the Faculty of Medicine’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and may require additional application information or reporting criteria. 

Key Dates

• Supervisor applications due January 15 at 23:59 ET

• Students applications due March 15 at 23:59 ET

• Notices of decision sent in April

Funding

Under the guidance of the designed PI, the successful medical student applicants will be awarded a stipend of $7,000 to support them through the training program (for 10 weeks from May - August).

Who can Apply?

Supervisors must hold a primary appointment in the Faculty of Medicine*, be in good standing with their departments, and be eligible to supervise undergraduate students. Potential supervisors must also:

• Contribute $2,500 to the program (an invoice will be sent at the end of the summer)

• Review applications between from mid to late March

• Serve as a judge at the MSSRP Presentation Day (September / October)

• Ensure the project will follow all the required ethics procedures, including having approval before the project commences (if required)

• Use EDI best practices in research design, interview process, training and mentorship

• Agree to submit only one MSSRTP project and supervise one MSSRTP student per year
• Have the necessary time and resources to train students through the summer studentship 

*Limited to Assistant, Associate, and Full Professors (Adjunct Professor & Lecturers not eligible). 

Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) students at the University of Ottawa who are enrolled in their first or second year of training are eligible to apply.  Successful candidates must also:

• Present their projects during the designated MSSRTP Day.
• Notify the Medical Education Office by July 15 of their absence at MSSRTP Day.

*Students can only be funded for one summer program (i.e., a student cannot hold concurrent research positions). 

Priority Areas

Proposals will be assessed for their eligibility for the priority programs in the following priority areas based on the information provided Project Summary Submission from Supervisors (Step 1).

• Mach-Gaensslen Foundation
  • Up to five (5) awarded will be funded through the Mach-Gaensslen Foundation. The Foundation’s objectives are to:
    • carry out, support and promote medical research in the fields of cardiology, oncology and psychiatry,
    • disseminate the findings of such research to the interested public, and
    • promote excellence in education in the fields of cardiology, oncology and psychiatry.
• Social Accountability
  • Up to four (4) summer studentships will be allocated to the priority area of Social Accountability, and these will be awarded to faculty-initiated projects developed in collaboration with community partners.
  • Please see the Terms of Reference for the Social Accountability Priority Announcement for more details.

Three Step Application Process

Step 1. Project Summary Submission from Supervisors

• Potential supervisors are invited to submit a project summary through our online supervisor application form. 

Step 2. Student Expression of Interest

• For projects without a student already assigned, students interested in participating in MSSRTP should submit their EOI and up-to-date CV.
• Supervisors will receive a list of students to interview and select their candidate.
• Upon identification of the student, they will be able to proceed to Step 3. 

*Supervisors who have not pre-selected a student will interview the students ensuring the principles of EDI are respected as outlined in the Tri-Agency Best Practices in EDI in Research.

*Supervisors will notify the student they select for their project in writing so students and indicate their selection on the application portal.

Step 3: Full Application from Student

• All selected students (pre-selected & selected through interview process) must submit a student application form and up-to-date CV.

Review of Full Applications

• A review committee comprised of faculty and community members will assess and rank the applications using the merit indicators (see below).
• Supervisors and students will be notified of the committee’s decision via email.
• Upon receipt of the award notice, both student and supervisor must confirm they accept the award.

The review committee will assess and rank the pairings between students and projects based on the relevance of the project to the student’s career aspirations and the feasibility of the training plan within the program’s parameters. The committee commits to a fair and transparent review assessment to promote excellence in research across Faculty of Medicine’s diverse research fields. In alignment with the University of Ottawa’s Office of the Vice-President, Research policies, the committee will foster an equitable research, education and training environment that provides equal opportunities for everyone and that respects and values diversity.

Peer reviewers will reflect the diversity of the University of Ottawa and Faculty of Medicine community with respect to the four diversity categories identified in the Canada’s Employment Equity Act (women and gender equity-seeking groups, individuals who are racialized, Indigenous peoples, persons living with disabilities). In addition, the reviewers should reflect the diversity of our uOttawa community, including individuals from our partner institutions and reflective of the diverse research fields at uOttawa.

All applications will be reviewed according to the following merit indicators:

• Excellence of the Research Project (50%)
• Excellence of Training Opportunity (50%)