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By kristalamb
Posted date: November 23, 2017

 

 

The Training and Mentoring Goal Group of Diabetes Action Canada aims to strengthen patient-oriented research capacity for diabetes and its complications in Canada. This Goal Group focuses on preparing the next generation of diabetes researchers across Canada in Patient-Oriented Research methods pertaining to all CIHR pillars.

The Training and Mentoring Goal Group develops and organizes training and mentoring opportunities for graduate students (MSc and PhD), postdoctoral fellows and health professionals in diabetes-related patient-oriented research. Training opportunities in both official languages are available to patients, healthcare providers, researchers, policy makers and administrators. These activities are coordinated jointly with other Goal Groups such as the Patient Engagement Goal Group and the Indigenous Peoples Health Goal Group and in collaboration with partners such as CIHR, Diabetes Canada and Quebec Cardiometabolic Health, Diabetes and Obesity (CMDO) Research Network.

The Training and Mentoring Goal Group also works to coordinate training activities with other SPOR Networks such as, CHILD-BRIGHT, Can-SOLVE CKD, Chronic Pain and IMAGINE to maximize training opportunities and synergize respective training strategies in POR. Goal Group leads André Carpentier and Mathieu Bélanger are actively involved in enhancing collaboration between SPOR Networks and participate in regular meetings to share ideas and opportunities on training initiatives.

Diabetes Action Canada Training Activities

In October, the Training and Mentoring Goal Group in collaboration with the CMDO Research Network sent a call for applications from PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, residents and research professionals from Diabetes Action Canada to participate in a Winter Camp (French training program) which will be held February 3rd to 6th, 2018 at Hôtel Chéribourg, Magog-Orford, Québec.

This is the sixth session of this Winter Camp and this year’s four-day interactive workshop will feature internationally renowned speakers and participants discussing research in cardiometabolic health, diabetes, obesity, knowledge translation and patient-oriented research. The Training and Mentoring Goal Group was pleased to offer two training grants of up to $2,500 each (to cover transportation, accommodation, meals and registration) for candidates studying outside Quebec wishing to attend the camp.

In collaboration with Diabetes Canada, the Training and Mentoring Goal Group offered two training days in advance of the Diabetes Canada Professional Conference held November 2nd-4th, 2017 in Edmonton, Alberta. The first training in Patient-Oriented Research was done with both patient and facilitators co-presenting on strategies in patient engagement, team-building and understanding roles within the patient-oriented research environment. The second training day focused on Trainee development and discussed the skills needed by postdoctoral fellows to transition to become independent investigators. Both sessions were well attended and received positively by both patients and researchers who participated.

Diabetes Action Canada Spring Training Events

This year the Training and Mentoring Group will host a patient-oriented research training session prior to the Diabetes Action Canada Annual Workshop held on May 4th– 5th, 2018. This full-day session will be held on May 3rd, 2017 and will focus on the history and context of patient-oriented research, the research cycle, levels of participation for patient engagement, health research ethics as well as team building and decision-making.

The Training and Mentoring Goal Group plans on offering two more Training sessions in the spring of 2018 in Toronto (in English) and Moncton (in French). More information regarding these POR Training session will be shared in the coming months. Diabetes Action Canada members who would be interested in additional Training sessions can contact the Goal Group Coordinator, Michelle Murray  (michelle.murray@umoncton.ca) for information on available sessions in your region or about developing customized training sessions.

Mentorship and Fellowship Programs

In June 2017, the Training and Mentoring Goal Group did its first call for competitive Mentorship Awards among its members and four were awarded. Each successful grantee received $10,000 for a period of one year and the successful recipients were as follows:

  • Laura Desveaux – Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care, Women’s College Hospital
  • Martin Sénéchal – Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick
  • Marie-Claude Tremblay – Faculté de médecine, Université Laval
  • Xiaolin Wei – Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

In the Spring of 2018, the Training and Mentoring Group will run this competition again so stay tuned for an announcement to all our Diabetes Action Canada Members!

Diabetes Action Canada, Training and Mentoring Goal Group also granted one Post-doctoral Fellowship Award, peer-reviewed by Diabetes Canada, of $50,000 per year for a period of two years to Priska Stahel – Toronto General Hospital Research Institute. This competition was open to all Diabetes Action Canada Investigators and the Training and Mentoring Group is planning to run this again in the Spring of 2018.

Recap Of  Trainee Days in Edmonton -November 2-4, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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