Description

The CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) is dedicated to supporting graduate students and post-doctoral Fellows and to recognizing the research excellence and knowledge translation initiatives of these emerging health services and policy researchers at an early stage in their career.

Objectives

• To recognize the research excellence and innovative knowledge translation (KT) initiatives of graduate students (M.A., M.Sc. and PhD) and post-doctoral Fellows studying in health services and policy research at a Canadian institution
• To recognize research and/or KT contributions for which a graduate student or post-doctoral Fellow has had primary responsibility
• To promote careers in health services and policy research

Award

IHSPR will recognize up to three (3) Canadian graduate students and/or post-doctoral Fellows studying in all fields and disciplines related to health services and policy research. Each awardee will receive:

• a certificate of excellence
• a $1000 award (preferably used to present research at a scientific meeting or to attend a health services and policy research training program)
• a spot in a concurrent session at the 2010 Canadian Association of Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) conference to present the research for which they received the Rising Star Award (and up to a maximum of $1000 in conference registration and travel support to attend)
• profile on the IHSPR website and in an IHSPR newsletter

Eligibility Criteria

• Awards will be presented to masters, doctoral or post-doctoral Fellows currently enrolled in a field or program of study related to health services and/or health policy at a Canadian institution.
• Awards are granted based on:
  • A health services and policy research article published between December 1, 2008 and February 15, 2010 in a peer reviewed journal as first author; or
  • Demonstration of an innovative or successful KT initiative (e.g., synthesis, dissemination and exchange activities; communication and outreach activities; policy and practice improvement activities)
• Applicants can apply to either but not both award categories
• Applicants can apply to the Rising Star Award or the Article of the Year Award, but not both
• Article(s) and KT initiative(s) must be outputs from research projects in which the trainee has been involved significantly during their period of graduate or post-doctoral training in Canada
• Canadians and non-Canadians doing research in Canada are eligible
• Applicants need not be a CIHR grantee
• Applicants cannot have previously received a Rising Star Award or Article of the Year Award

Review Process and Evaluation

A review committee comprised of members of IHSPR's Advisory Board, including IHSPR's Assistant Directors, will review the applications. Final decisions rest with the Institute's Scientific Director.

All applications much include the following:

• A completed application form, which requires the following information:
  • A full citation of the published article or title of the KT initiative
  • Statement describing the (1) relevance and (2) potential impact of your article or KT initiative within the field of health services and policy research (maximum 250 words)
  • Brief biographical sketch, including general research/thesis interests, previous training experience related to health services and policy research, current training and career aspirations (maximum 250 words)
• A letter of support from your research supervisor

And:

• An electronic copy of the published article (published between December 1, 2008 and February 15, 2010)

Or

• A 1000 word (maximum) description of the KT initiative. Applicants should comment on their KT objective(s), KT activities (e.g., synthesis, dissemination and exchange activities; communication and outreach activities; policy and practice improvement activities), and any outcomes and/or impact that has been achieved (e.g., affect policy or practice, etc.). Applicants should also comment on their experience and impressions (e.g., what worked well, what did not work well, and why).

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• The relevance of their article or KT initiative(s) to the field of health services and policy research
• The potential impact of their article or KT initiative(s) within the field of health services and policy research
  • Article submissions will be assessed on the impact of the journal; the importance of results; the extent to which the findings represent new information and/or advance knowledge within the field of health services and policy research; and the potential impact of the results on policy, practice or research methods);
  • KT submissions will be assessed on the extent to which the KT activity has accelerated the translation and uptake of knowledge; appropriateness of KT initiative for stated objective and target audience/end user; inclusion of relevant stakeholders; potential impact of the KT initiative in relation to stated objectives; importance of the KT outcomes within the field of health services and policy research; and clarity and quality of applicant's description of what worked well, what did not work well, and why with the KT initiative
• Their training and research experience (e.g., achievements and activities in relation to level of training; extent of previous and current involvement in health services and policy research)
• The overall strength of their online application

Successful applicants will be notified of the results in March, 2010. Awards will be presented at the May 2010 Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) conference.

How to Apply

• Complete and submit an application form
  [ HTML | PDF fillable (279 KB) | PDF non-fillable (27 KB) | Help ]
• An electronic version of the published article or description of the KT initiative must accompany the application form
• Please mail or email your application by (deadline extended) February 22, 2010 to:

Jennifer Critchley
Institute of Health Services and Policy Research, CIHR
Room 102, 39 Queen's Park Crescent East
Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
Toronto, ON M5S 2C3
Email: Jennifer@ihspr.utoronto.ca

Contact Information

Inquiries pertaining to the IHSPR Rising Star Award can be addressed to:

Jennifer Critchley
Institute of Health Services and Policy Research, CIHR
Tel: 416-978-5174
Fax: 416-978-5171
Email: Jennifer@ihspr.utoronto.ca

Previous Rising Star Award Recipients

• Rising Star Award recipients - 2008/09
• Rising Star Award recipients - 2007/08