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-Cumming School of Medicine Graduate Student ScholarshipBackground: The University of Calgary has launched a major initiative to become one
of the top 5 research-intensive universities in Canada through an Eyes High program of
supporting research and academic pursuits. The “Eye’s High” vision at the University of Calgary
relies heavily on the research endeavors in the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM). Of
paramount importance in the academic plan is “talent attraction, development and retention”.
Graduate Education and training opportunities are at the intersection of research and education
both of which are of critical importance in meeting the Universities “Eyes-High” Goals. As an
outcome of the survey conducted in the CSM during the recent strategic planning process,
stipend support for graduate students was identified as one of the highest priorities in both
research and education. This proposal will attract the best graduate students to the Cumming
School of Medicine Graduate programs and train them to become leading researchers. Our
graduate students are critical in maintaining a dynamic research environment and we want to
ensure that the best students come to the University of Calgary rather than going to other
institutions.
The Cumming School of Medicine is home to nine graduate programs at the University
of Calgary: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedical Technology, Cardiovascular and
Respiratory Sciences, Community Health Sciences, Gastrointestinal Sciences, Immunology,
Medical Sciences, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and Neuroscience. We currently have
almost 500 students registered in these programs and we continue to strive to attract the best
students to our programs. While our program(s) in the short term are limited in substantially
expanding enrollment due to the current external funding situation to faculty members, we need
to focus on “raising the bar” and recruiting the “best students” that will be able to successfully
drive our research. In addition, attracting top students will also increase the opportunity to secure
external funding for our graduate students, which will then allow us to increase the number of
graduate students we can accept into our programs.
Proposal: To recruit the highest quality graduate students to the Cumming School of Medicine
(CSM) by providing competitive scholarships to our highest ranked students in cost-sharing
structure with the individual supervisor and the CSM. The program will received financial
support over the next 7 years (2015-2022), with the goal of funding a total of 48 graduate
students
Program: To provide competitive scholarships for graduate students at a rate of $30,000
(congruent with CIHR and AIHS Funding levels) in order to increase the number and quality of
graduate students within the Cumming School of Medicine in areas aligned with the strategic
priorities of the University of Calgary Eye’s High mandate. This opportunity would enhance the
already successful Eyes High doctoral scholarships provided by the Faculty of Graduate
Studies. Priorities would be given based on excellence of the student, the quality of the proposed
training environment and success of the supervisor to train graduate students. This proposed
program is for the recruitment of 48 graduate students over next 4 years in the CSM. The CSM
will provide $20,000/year for 4 years and the supervisor will provide $10,000/year for 4 years
for PhD students (and MSc students who transfer to a PhD). For MSc students, similar funding
will be provided for 2 years.
Funds will be renewed on an annual basis only upon demonstrating sufficient progress
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and complying with program requirements, as detailed in an annual Progress Report. Details on
the Terms of Reference and reviews of graduate student scholarship applications will be
conducted within the Cumming School of Medicine, with assistance in onboarding processes and
professional development programs administered by the Graduate Science Education office and
the faculty of graduate studies.
Purpose: To Increase the number and quality of graduate students within the Cumming School
of Medicine in areas aligned with the strategic priorities of the University of Calgary Eye’s High
mandate. This opportunity would enhance the already successful Eyes High doctoral
scholarships provided by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Priorities would be given based on
excellence of the student, the quality of the proposed training environment and success of the
supervisor to train graduate students.
Eligibility (PIs): Open to full time CSM faculty members at all levels of career development
who comply with financial requirements, and have sufficient grant support to provide an
excellent training experience. Not open to PIs currently receiving support for Renewal
applications to CIHR through the Office of Associate Dean Research Bridge Funding program.
Eligibility (Student): This competition is open to full-time MSc or PhD students enrolled in a
Cumming School of Medicine Affiliated Graduate Program. These funds cannot be held in
conjunction with any additional external scholarship support.
Assessment Criteria: Applicants will be assessed according to established standards of
academic success in undergraduate or equivalent degree programs, including GPA, awards,
research experience, abstracts and presentations, and publications. Adjudication will also include
the PI’s record of success in previous supervision of graduate students, publications, operating
grant support, with consideration of their stage of career development and financial need.
Requirements: Supervisors will be required to provide $10,000 per year towards a final stipend
of $30,000. The graduates students will be required to submit salary applications to external
agencies each year, with all CSM funding returned immediately upon receipt and start up of an
external award (no deferrals allowed). An annual Progress Report will be required to renew
funding each year.
Matching Funding: There is the potential that costs by CSM could be shared with other
funding programs provided by Research Institutes, or Training programs. Details on matching
programs will be determined.
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Terms of Reference (detailed):
• Eligible graduate students are defined as an individual enrolled in a CSM affiliated graduate
program
• CSM funding is available to full time CSM faculty members to fund one graduate student at a
time. Funding cannot be allocated to a lab currently receiving Office of Associate Dean
Research Bridge Funding support for a Renewal grant submitted to CIHR.
• The supervisor must commit $10,000/yr towards the graduate student stipend for four (PhD
students) or 2 (MSc students) consecutive years of the award as a scholarships. CSM support
will be limited to $20,000 /yr for 4 years (PhD) or 2 years (MSc) as matching funds to
provide $30,000 scholarship for each year of the award. At every opportunity CSM funds
will share the cost of CSM salary support with Research Institutes, Departments, existing
Training programs, to enhance the ability to attract top graduate students and increase the
number of graduate students supported.
• New PhD will be offered a 4 year scholarship and MSc students will be offered a 2 year
scholarship with the option of a 2 year extension if they successfully transfer to the PhD
program.
• Graduate students will normally be required to begin full time training within 1 year of
receiving an award. Funding is allocated annually and will be renewed pending application
for external scholarships and a satisfactory Progress Report.
• Individuals obtaining external support (i.e. tri-council, AI-HS) or internal funding must
immediately inform the Graduate Science Education Office. In the case that external funds
do not reach the same level of support, an equal cost-sharing agreement will be made with
the supervisor to maintain a total salary award of $30,000.
Application Process:
• There will be 2 competition deadlines with applications accepted on May 1 and October 1
• Students can apply before beginning their graduate training and up to 10 months after
enrollment in the program.
• An application should be made using the CSM Graduate Student Scholarship Form (to be
generated) and submitted in hard copy and PDF to Graduate Science Education Office, HSC
326B, medgse@ucalgary.ca. Annual Progress Reports should be made using the CSM
Graduate Student Scholarship Progress report and delivered as a PDF file to
medgse@ucalgary.ca.
Review criteria will include, but not necessarily be limited to:
• Quality of the candidate
• Previous research productivity and training graduate training experience of supervisor
• Strong and informative letters of reference
• Adequacy of funding in host laboratory to support graduate student research activities
• Commitment of host laboratory to provide support towards graduate student involvement in
career development programs
 Financial need will also be taken into account.
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Applications will be adjudicated by a committee consisting of representation from graduate
program directors, institutes and departments across all areas of research in the CSM.
Progress Report
A progress report form will created to request the following information congruent with existing
Faculty of Graduate Studies) FSG and program process for annual assessment:
- Summary of progress and communication efforts over the previous year
- Summary of courses completed
- A list of publications submitted
- A list of abstracts submitted or presented
- A list of external awards applied for and the outcome of applications, including expected
notification dates
- A list of professional development participation (via CSM or MyGRadSkills)
- A summary of expectations and goals for the upcoming academic year for research,
education and professional development
Administration
The application information of successful graduate students will be forwarded to the
appropriate Graduate program administrator to implement existing onboarding processes in
relation scholarship payments, and establish the necessary accounting strings to arrange an
official start date and payment details.
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