Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research
appltrainee9.doc
Under the sponsorship of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), leading Canadian research centres in the area of pediatric pain have joined to provide a training consortium to strengthen the preparation of trainees to become independent investigators, in Canada and internationally. The consortium is funded by the CIHR and by other sources.
The consortium offers supplementary funding for trainees, an annual research training institute, international lab meetings by means of web distance tools, visits to other labs, international speakers series, web based courses on pain, and other research training activities. However, its most important function is to develop a community of scholars in pediatric pain.
Membership in the consortium is open to those with a commitment to research in pediatric pain or developmental aspects of pain, in any discipline and at any level in their training, and is by application.
Membership makes trainees eligible for (but does not guarantee) financial assistance.
The Principal Investigators of the three major Canadian and the international training regions are as follows:

Eastern Region (Christine Chambers, Celeste Johnston, Allen Finley)

Central Region (Bonnie Stevens (NPI), Jennifer Stinson, Rebecca Pillai Riddell)

Western Region (Carl von Baeyer, Ruth Grunau, Ken Craig)

International (Allen Finley).
For a list of Co-Investigators and Collaborators, please see the navigation menu on the PICH homepage, www.paininchildhealth.dal.ca
Application for trainee membership: see next page
Applications are accepted any time, but must be received at least 12 weeks before any PICH-funded event the applicant wishes to attend.
Applications are not based on financial need. Criteria for ranking applicants will include: (a) research area includes pain in child health; (b) positive letter from supervisor; (c) support by one of the nine
Principal Investigators (see list above); (d) record showing academic excellence and research productivity. Applications from international trainees will be considered; funds may be available for, travel, accommodation, and registration but not stipends. In other words, trainees based outside
Canada must have separate financial support for their program of studies.

Commitments of trainee members
Applicants who wish to become trainee members of PICH are asked to make the following commitments:

To participate in PICH activities such as web courses, web-based research conferences, research training institutes, newsletter, lab visits, visiting speaker events, and listserv discussions to the best of their ability.

To report annually to PICH on their training and research activities and accomplishments, both during their trainee membership and for up to five years afterward as required for PICH reports to CIHR.
Attachments Required:
1.
Application form (next page).
2.
300 to 400 words detailing how your career plans, your research, and your program of studies fit into the area of pediatric pain or development of pain systems.
3.
A curriculum vitae that includes: education, publications, presentations, and past and current awards.
4.
A letter of recommendation from your supervisor, indicating how likely she or he believes you are to follow a career path leading toward active, independent research in pediatric pain or development of pain systems.
5.
A letter of support from the Principal Investigator from your site or region (if not your supervisor; see list above)
6.
Your complete university transcripts (unofficial transcripts in electronic form are accepted; official transcripts may be requested separately by the PICH manager).
Please see information about deadline above. Send electronic copies of your application and all attachments to: jackie.boyce@sickkids.ca

Application for trainee membership in Pain in Child Health Training Consortium
This form can be extended onto more pages as needed
.
Date of application
Name
Address
Fax
Email
Proposed PICH Supervisor
Academic Supervisor
University
Training status (e.g. Ph.D. student, research fellow)
Year entered current program
Years till completion
Anticipated graduation date
Discipline
Are you a full time trainee?
If not please detail commitments outside the training program.
Commitment to participate in PICH and to report to PICH as outlined above
Full time _____
Part time _____(please detail)
Type your name signifying agreement: