McGill Global Health Scholars – Graduate Program

Background

The McGill Global Health Scholars – Graduate program supports McGill graduate students (Masters and PhD) conducting global health research internationally in a lower- or middle-income country (LMIC) or in Northern Canada. The research project submitted for funding consideration must be related to the student’s thesis or graduation requirements and must be conducted under the supervision of a McGill faculty member. During the academic year, Global Health Scholars benefit from a variety of training and networking opportunities organized by Global Health Programs (GHP). This includes the McGill Summer Institutes in Global Health, GHP’s annual Global Health Night and other events and opportunities.

Key Dates

• Launch of call for student applications: January 10, 2022
• Application Deadline: February 11, 2022
• Announcement of results: March 31, 2022

Program Timeline

• GHS Graduates Introduction Meeting: May 2022 (Date TBD)
• Pre-Departure Training:  Complete 8 weeks prior to travel
• Travel to Research Site: 6 weeks onsite between May 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023*
• Global Health Method Exchange Events: Between October 2022 – April 2023
• Global Health Night: November 2022 (Date TBD)
• Final Report and Survey: Within 6 weeks of completing travel

*For MScPH students, travel must occur between May-August 2022 and must be directly linked to the student’s practicum placement.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be eligible to apply for the Global Health Scholars – Graduate program, students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Must be currently enrolled in a graduate program at McGill (Masters or PhD level).
• Students graduating in May/June 2022 are not eligible to apply.
• Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply.
• Students who have been part of a previous Global Health Scholars – Graduate cohort are not eligible to apply.

Eligible Projects

• Each year the Global Health Scholars – Graduate program supports students from a wide variety of disciplines representative of the diversity found under the umbrella of global health. This includes, but is not limited to: medicine, nursing, health sciences, nutrition, rehabilitation, law, social sciences, engineering, education, agriculture, epidemiology, population and public health, and health policy.
• Projects can entail field-based or lab-based work conducted in an international setting (LMIC country) or in Northern Canada (indigenous health). The work must relate to the student’s thesis or graduation requirements.
• Students should have the support and approval of their McGill supervisor to conduct the proposed research and should have a local partner with an agreed-upon research activities plan before beginning. If the project is at the stage of implementation, it must have the approvals of all appropriate ethics boards.
• Learn about previous Global Health Scholars – Graduate cohorts

Funding

• Students completing their project remotely or on-site locally (i.e. on-campus or in the Montreal area) will receive a stipend of up to $1,500.
• If a student’s International / Northern Canada on-site work plan is initiated, students will receive up to an additional $1,500 (totalling $3,000) to contribute towards travel costs. If a student is not able to travel, the stipend will not exceed $1,500.
• Actual research costs (e.g. equipment, tests) are expected to be borne by the student’s supervisor or department.
• A student or trainee is eligible for only one award from GHP for the same trip. Any additional funding requests to GHP would have to be for a trip separate from the six weeks of travel covered by the Global Health Scholars – Graduate Program.

COVID-19 and Travel

• Due to the COVID-19 directives set by McGill University and the Quebec Government, it is probable that the 2022 cohort of Global Health Scholars – Graduate program will need to complete their work remotely or from campus. It is also plausible that students may be able to travel to their research site at some point between May 2022 and April 2023.
• All projects must include a remote work plan as well as an on-site work plan for students.
• Working alongside their designated supervisor, students should be prepared to transition to remote work at any point if it is not possible to be on campus, to work from a McGill affiliated location, or to travel to an international/or northern Canada research site.
• Travel can only proceed with prior approval from a student’s program or department. Approval should be dependent upon the directives set forth by McGill University, the Government of Quebec, travel advisories posted by Global Affairs Canada, the host country, and the onsite partner organization. GHP will consider the possibility of travel for students that is initiated by April 1, 2023. If travel is not possible at this point, students will need to complete work on their projects remotely or on-site locally. 

Additional Travel-Related Information

• Students must be onsite at least six weeks to be eligible. The six weeks do not have to be consecutive.
• Travel can occur at any point between May 1, 2022 and April 30, 2023. Travel must be initiated by April 1, 2023 at the latest.
• For MScPH students, travel must occur between May-August 2022 and must be directly linked to the student’s practicum placement.
• Travel dates should be determined by the student in coordination with her/his faculty supervisor.
• Student travel to a country with a Global Affairs Canada travel advisory of Level 3 or higher (avoid all non-essential travel or avoid all travel) is not eligible for support under the Global Health Scholars-Graduate program. View the latest travel advisories.

Terms of Participation

Students selected to participate in the Global Health Scholars – Graduate program must agree to the following terms:

• Selected participants are considered part of the Global Health Scholars – Graduate cohortfor the 2022-2023 academic year and must attend various training, workshops or events coordinated by GHP.
• Global Health Scholars must attend and present a poster at McGill’s Global Health Night, to be held in November 2023 in Montreal.
• Global Health Scholars who are approved for travel must participate in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science’s online pre-departure training via MyCourses before traveling.
• Global Health Scholars must communicate with their faculty/partner organization supervisor as well as the GHP office on a regular basis before, during and after their summer project.
• Global Health Scholars must submit a mid-term report as well as a final report regarding their research project no later than 6 weeks after returning to Canada. In cases where the work is carried out locally/remotely, a final report must be submitted no later than June 15, 2023.  A reporting template will be provided by GHP.
• Global Health Scholars are eligible to attend up to two courses in the McGill Summer Institute in Infectious Diseases and Global Health in summer 2023 without paying the registration fees. If interested, please contact the GHP office.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are evaluated by at least two reviewers based on the following criteria:

1. Understanding of global health: The applicant provides an insightful reflection on how the proposed research project directly relates to their field of study within global health.
2. Quality of research project: The quality and potential of the research project, how it relates to the applicant’s thesis or graduate requirements, and overall clarity with which proposal is written to a multi-disciplinary committee (non-specialist audience).
3. Research excellence: The applicant demonstrates the capacity for research excellence based on their academic track record as defined by the quality of research contributions, leadership in the research domain, and the sphere of influence achieved to date.
4. Research partnership: The applicant has a clear and defined collaboration plan that includes the involvement of the partner institution or onsite partners in the execution of research project.
5. Suitability for the program: Overall suitability of the applicant and research project for the Global Health Scholars – Graduate program.

Apply Now – Online Application