Soutien à la recherche et concours FR/EN : Concours - Utilisation et valorisation de vos banques de données de recherche avec l’aide d’un étudiant boursier / Competition - Optimization and Use of existing datasets through the support of a Student Trainee

QPHRN Call for Applications for Regular Researchers and Post-Doctoral Fellows

Optimization and Use of existing datasets through the support of a Student Trainee

 

Summary

Do you have qualitative and/or quantitative data from previous projects that could be used for additional analyses? Do you have research questions that you would like to have addressed using these data? And could you benefit from having a student trainee (with a bursary) who could conduct these analyses? If yes, then this call is for you!

Introduction

One of QPHRN’s key objectives is to strengthen population health research capacity in Quebec. To this end, the network recognizes the importance of assisting young researchers to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for conducting independent research and to develop a competitive research profile.

The Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS), which finances the Network, strongly supports initiatives and mechanisms that facilitate the access to and use of data which will enhance research capacity (Plan stratégique du FRQS 2018-2022, p. 10). This is consistent with the current trend towards open science, which involves more sharing of research data (for more information on the topic: Journées scientifiques 2019 de l’axe Santé mondiale). The QPHRN is also moving in the same direction, and supports the sharing of resources and expertise towards improving the health of populations and developing related public policies.

Many researchers have data from previous projects that have not been fully exploited. The network’s Global Health Axis and its research capacity strengthening program, GHR-CAPS, as well as the Social Health Inequalities and Equity Axis, would like to offer its regular researcher members and its post-doctoral fellows the opportunity to receive assistance from a student trainee (a doctoral student or post-doctoral fellow for regular members; a doctoral student for post-doctoral fellows) to conduct analyses and address research questions using their existing datasets. The goal is also to allow researchers to publish new findings that will contribute to the field of global health (i.e., the improvement of health and healthcare for indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees and for populations in low or middle-income countries) and/or to the field of social health inequalities.

This competition involves two steps:

  1. A call to regular research members and post-doctoral fellows: regular research members and post-doctoral fellows are invited to express their interest in mentoring a student (a doctoral student or post-doctoral fellow for regular members; a doctoral student for post-doctoral members) who would conduct analyses using one of the researcher/fellow’s existing datasets and assist with the publication of the results obtained. All details for submitting a project are presented below.
     
  2. A call to student members (doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows): during the second step, students and post-doctoral fellows will be invited to submit applications to work on projects that are of interest to them. There will be an initial selection of candidates by an evaluation committee, which will be created by the Global Health and the Social Health Inequalities and Equity Axes. The evaluation will be based primarily on a candidate’s experience (related to the project in question), the quality of their CV and their academic results. The best applications will be transmitted to the researchers responsible for the projects to make the final decisions. It should be noted that to avoid any conflicts of interest and to ensure an equitable selection process, researchers cannot be paired with their own students or students who are already working under their supervision. The goal of this call is also to encourage new collaborations and mentoring relationships.

Two to three (depending on available funds) $8,000 bursaries will be awarded (the student trainees will receive the amounts in two installments: $4,000 at the beginning and $4,000 halfway through the internship). The internship will last four months; weekly hours may vary but overall should not exceed the equivalent of 20 hours/week. The student or postdoctoral fellow should be offered co-authorship or be acknowledged for their contributions according to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors): http://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf


Application Details for Researchers  

 

Eligibility Criteria

  • Be a regular research member or post-doctoral student member of the Network.
  • Have an existing dataset (qualitative or quantitative data) that can be used for analyses.
  • If applicable, have consent from all co-researchers to use the dataset to conduct analyses.
  • Have a research question that is relevant to global health (the health and healthcare for indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees and for populations in low or middle-income countries) and/or to the field of social health inequalities and equity.
  • Ensure that the proposed research question meets the conditions outlined in the consent form agreed to by the participants in the previous research, or that a research ethics committee has approved the use of the data for secondary analyses. 
  • The QPHRN and its axes cannot support the same project more than once.
  • Note that researchers cannot be paired with their own students or students that are currently working under their supervision.

Content of the Application 

Please download the application form and save it on your computer before completing it. The form contains all the instructions and information required for applying.

Evaluation Criteria

We will fund one project related to global health and one project related to social health inequalities and equity, or one or two projects related to both themes. If funds are available, the 3rd project may be related to either or both themes.

The applications will be evaluated by a committee using the following criteria:

  • The quality, originality, innovative nature and potential impact of the proposed project (the research question and the analytical plan);
  • Relevance and appropriateness of the proposed research question in view of the data available for analysis;
  • Collaborations (interdisciplinary, inter-institutional, cross-sectoral, inter-axis or between different FRQS thematic networks, and/or international)
  • The relevance of the project to the mission, objectives and strategic priorities of the Global Health Axis and/or the Social Health Inequalities and Equity Axis;
  • The timeline and feasibility of the project;
  • The quality of the mentorship plan (how the student or fellow will be supported and what strategies and resources will be available and used to strengthen the student’s knowledge and skills);
  • The potential of the results to be published.

Commitments

  • The researcher commits to providing support to the student trainee in conducting the analyses and writing the manuscript over a four-month period. Any delays associated with the mentor’s availability may lead to a request for an extension.  
  • At the halfway point, the researcher must submit a progress report to the Global Health Axis and the Social Health Inequalities and Equity Axis regarding the advancement of the project (analyses and manuscript), as well as any delays or other problems encountered.
  • The researcher commits to ensuring that the manuscript is submitted to a quality journal. BEWARE OF PREDATORY JOURNALS! (Consult: https://predatoryjournals.com/journals/).
  • All co-researchers who have rights regarding the use of the data, have agreed that the student trainee may be a co-author or may be acknowledged for their contribution according to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (http://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf).
  • The support of the QPHRN, Global Health Axis and the Social Health Inequalities and Equity Axis must be acknowledged in any presentations and publications associated with the project.  
  • The researcher agrees to publish the title and a summary of their project (in French and English) on the QPHRN website, once results from the call have been announced publicly.
  • The researcher and the student trainee will be invited to make an oral presentation of their project during the annual scientific day of the QPHRN.

Candidates Applications

Applications must be submitted by email with the subject heading “Global Health and ISS Call: mentorship – optimization & use of datasets 2021” by the application deadline (June 7th, 2021) to the following address: thierry.hurlimann@umontreal.ca. For further information, please contact Thierry Hurlimann, coordinator of the Global Health Axis and the Global Health Research Capacity Strengthening (GHR-CAPS) program: thierry.hurlimann@umontreal.ca        

 

Application deadline

Monday, June 7th 2021

Download application form

Downlad the pdf description of this competition

Informations

thierry.hurlimann@umontreal.ca