Project Information

Project Supervisor

Professor Keiko Shikako

 School of Physical and Occupational Therapy

Project Description

Canada is a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) since 2010, however, the Concluding Observations on the Initial Report of Canada (2017) indicated important gaps in the implementation of the convention in Canada. This report pointed to the lack of a structured mechanism considering the voices of persons with disabilities in the process, the lack of data on children and indigenous persons with disabilities, and the lack of coordination between federal and provincial services, leading to potential gaps in the provisions of the UN CRPD for persons with disabilities living in Canada.  

 In this project, we have engaged with a large number of disability organizations and advocates, government departments, and scholars to assess to what extent the UN CRPD has influenced policy, laws, and advocacy efforts for persons with disabilities in Canada. We also want to understand how persons with disabilities in Canada and their allies have drawn on the UN CRPD in their advocacy efforts. Finally, we want to identify best practices that can empower interested parties in monitoring and enhancing the implementation of the UN CRPD in Canada. Our project aims to identify the priority areas for disability rights and policy in Canada from the perspectives of Canadians with disabilities and multiple sources of knowledge (social media, civils society reports, public consultations and policies) and to apply these priority areas to engage in constructive dialogue with multiple interested parties.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

The intern will support data management activities related to a policy review of federal, provincial, and territorial disability policies, including ACA consultation documents, regulations, and standards. Under the guidance of a mentor, the intern will receive training and hands-on experience in data cleaning and AI-based analysis. Additionally, the intern will collaborate with the research team including individuals with lived and living experience to develop a knowledge mobilization plan, which may include tools such as infographics and plain-language summaries.

Project Team

This project brings together experts in disability rights, public policy, health, and rehabilitation, all based at McGill University. The project lead, Dr. Keiko Shikako, holds the Canada Research Chair in Childhood Disability: Participation and Knowledge Translation. She is internationally recognized for her expertise in childhood and youth disability, accessibility, community inclusion, human rights, and public policy.

The team is affiliated with the CHILD-BRIGHT network and works closely with its youth advisory panel and a citizen engagement panel composed of families of children and youth with disabilities. We maintain ongoing collaborations and strong connections across multiple sectors, including research, policy, government, and civil society organizations, all of which will actively contribute to various stages of the project. The intern will also participate in activities related to knowledge translation (KT) to policy, conducted by Dr. Shikako and her team in collaboration with the CanNRT network. 

Our partner organizations are civil society leaders in the disability sector, focusing on key areas of this project: youth and family engagement, inclusive education, community inclusion and rehabilitation, intellectual disabilities, and Indigenous persons with disabilities. 

The intern will participate in both in-person and virtual team meetings, where they will have the opportunity to attend presentations by team members on a range of topics related to childhood disability. Interns will also be asked to present summaries of their tasks and achievements and will receive detailed guidance and mentorship on both content and format. By engaging in a dynamic and collaborative research environment, interns will have the opportunity to build essential skills that will support their future academic and professional development.

Technical Skills

Experience in research project, data collection, data extraction, analysis, interpretation and writing a report.  

Strong computer skills (Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint) specifically database management and reporting.  

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. 

Ideal field of study/Discipline: Health & Social Sciences related professions. 

Experience with AI analysis (text mining, Python programming language and R statistical analysis) is a plus.

Transferable Skills

Having experience working with persons with disabilities or being part of a research on different disabilities. 

Strong attention to detail.  

Ability to work independently and within a team and take initiative.  

Strong organizational, managerial, and interpersonal skills.  

Strong problem-solving skills.  

Excellent communication skills. 

Excellent adaptability.

Supplemental Materials

Please submit a writing sample.

Project Supervisor

Professor Jennifer Fishman

Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy

Project Description

The "Bridging the Global Gap in Abortion Access through Telehealth" project aims to address the global gap in abortion access by leveraging telehealth technologies. Recognizing the disparities in abortion access across different countries, this project seeks to examine the use of telehealth to provide confidential and compassionate care to individuals in need, regardless of geographic location or legal restrictions.

Central to this project is a strategic collaboration with Women on Web, a pioneering international online abortion provider renowned for its commitment to abortion research, advocacy, and service provision. Women on Web (WoW) is a Canadian non-profit organization, founded in 2005, and is a digital community composed of medical practitioners, help desk members, and researchers. Over its19 years of operation, WoW has been offering safe abortion care in restrictive settings and has also been leading abortion research and advocacy in the field of telemedicine. Through innovative telehealth solutions and remote follow-up care, WoW offers non-judgmental and compassionate abortion care to individuals and communities living in restrictive settings.

Research lies at the core of Women on Web’s operations. WoW integrates research with service provision and advocacy. In the past, WoW's research has played a crucial role in shedding light on online abortion trajectories in restrictive environments and has also been instrumental in informing legal reforms in several countries. Within the framework of this internship program, we are looking for interns to join our research program to support our research efforts on abortion access trajectories.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

The intern will be assigned to analyze a dataset specific to a chosen country. This dataset comprises demographic information of individuals seeking abortion services, details regarding the causes of unwanted pregnancies, factors prompting them to seek abortion through Women on Web, and insights into their abortion experiences.

The primary responsibilities of the intern will encompass conducting a thorough descriptive analysis of the dataset assigned. This analysis will involve synthesizing key trends and patterns within the data, such as demographic characteristics of abortion seekers, prevalent causes of unwanted pregnancies reasons for seeking abortion services, and variations in abortion experiences across different age groups.

If he/she/they wishes, the intern will also have the opportunity to delve deeper into the data to identify correlations or associations between various variables. This could entail examining relationships between demographic factors and reasons for seeking abortion or abortion experiences.

The intern will be supported by the WoW research team throughout the data analysis process. The final deliverable of this project is a report reflecting on the data analysis. Overall, this role presents an opportunity for the intern to gain hands-on experience in data analysis within the context of abortion research, contributing to a deeper understanding of abortion access and experiences on a global scale.

Project Team

Dr. Jennifer Fishman will supervise the student, who will work closely with the research team at Women on Web. The research team at Women on Web is led by a researcher, Dr. Hazal Halay, affiliated with Sciences Po Paris, France. The intern will primarily interact with these two researchers and will work under their supervision.

The intern is not required to participate in lab or team meetings but is welcome to join if they wish. However, the intern is expected to share updates and progress regarding the data analysis and is to attend regular bimonthly meetings with the researchers.

Technical Skills

The intern is expected to have basic data analysis skills, including some proficiency in statistical analysis and data manipulation techniques for quantitative data, and ideally qualitative data as well. These skills will be essential for conducting the data analysis, identifying trends and patterns.

Familiarity with data visualization tools and software packages such as R, Python, or SPSS would be an asset.

While prior experience in data analysis is preferred, candidates with basic knowledge in data analysis and willingness to learn new skills should be sufficient.

Background can be in any area, but interest in reproductive health is essential.

Transferable Skills

The intern is expected to demonstrate strong critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills to draw insightful conclusions from the data. Attention to detail is paramount for this task, as even minor nuances in the data can lead to significant findings. Additionally, the intern should possess a keen eye for detail to ensure accuracy and reliability in their analysis.

We highly value teamwork and effective cross-cultural communication skills, given the collaborative nature of our work and the different partners involved. We therefore expect the intern to be open and interested in working on a collaborative, international team.

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisor

Professor Christopher Barrington-Leigh

Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy | Bieler School of Environment

Project Description

Wellbeing policy is gaining momentum worldwide. There is an emerging global movement to bring better concepts and measures of human wellbeing to the centre of policy-making.
The Canadian federal government, several provinces and an increasing number of municipal governments and community organizations are approaching policy and budget decisions based on a growing body of knowledge about what makes life good. A global pandemic has also increased public understanding of what really matters for wellbeing and there is a call for governments to make wellbeing or quality-of-life a central policy objective and source of accountability.

The Canadian Wellbeing Knowledges Network brings together organizations and individuals from public, private, academic and community sectors to share ideas for advancing and supporting wellbeing policy approaches in Canada.
Our common purpose is to provide opportunities for people to engage in catalytic conversations and idea sharing about how they conceptualize, measure, research or support wellbeing and how policy decisions can use a wellbeing lens; to build, exchange and leverage our collective knowledge on the latest wellbeing policy evidence, initiatives and practices; and to activate and strengthen a cross-sectoral and inclusive collaboration network for wellbeing policy across Canada.

Some more background can be found at https://cwkn.ca

Prof Chris Barrington-Leigh (PI), who co-leads the CWKN, has a research focus on life satisfaction, measured as individuals' single-question, subjective, quantitative assessment of how good life feels, overall. This is one leading approach for deriving evidence about human outcomes for policy-making.

This project is to support our knowledge mobilization efforts, primarily by

• synthesizing and compiling relevant evidence and policy news into periodic bilingual newsletters

Additional tasks include:

• maintaining / updating web site content using WordPress content management interface
• maintaining the Network membership database and mailing list
• helping with online member "cafés", webinars, and stakeholder meetings
• organization of onlie documents
• supporting other CWKN activities

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

The primary deliverables will be a (1) series of newsletters, each in both English and French, throughout the term, (2) an updated or evolved web site.

Composing newsletters involves understanding the policy and practice community of the CWKN network, and organizing, synthesizing, and translating news and announcements for that audience.

Project Team

This project will be independent with supervision from and regular meetings with Professor Barrington-Leigh, but may include collaborations with our outside partners and Leadership Team.

Technical Skills

Choosing, synthesizing, summarizing wellbeing policy news items: writing for a diverse professional/policy audience.

Composing pretty/formatted (ie HTML) emails using a standard email client or a specialized mailing list manager service.

Managing a website using WordPress.

Managing files using Google Drive.

French proficiency is an asset.

Transferable Skills

Video editing - cutting/editing; annotating video using Shotcut or Openshot (ie open source software).

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisor

Professor Jill Baumgartner

Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy | Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health

Project Description

The internship offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of climate change and public health, with a focus on science communication and policy translation. We are aiming to recruit a bilingual intern with excellent writing skills in French and English and a background in environmental science, public health, environmental health, or a related discipline. 

The intern will contribute to drafting policy briefs, infographics and other knowledge translation materials that communicate the climate-health impacts and the benefits of evidence-based solutions. There is also scope to create visual content for the McGill Centre for Climate Change and Health, blending scientific content with accessible, engaging design. 

This internship is ideal for someone who is passionate about climate-health issues, skilled in translating complex scientific information into accessible language for diverse audiences, and excited to support interdisciplinary research and outreach.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

The specific deliverables of the internship will be tailored to the intern’s interests and skills but may include:

• Drafting bilingual (French and English) policy briefs on key climate-health topics
• Developing content for infographics or short reports communicating scientific findings to policymakers and the public
• Creating engaging visual or social media content to support outreach by the McGill Centre for Climate Change and Health
• Assisting in literature reviews and synthesizing research on climate adaptation and health resilience strategies

Applicants should explain which aspects of the project description most interest them and how their skills and background align. A final workplan will be developed in collaboration with the supervisor at the start of the internship.

Project Team

The intern will be supervised by Professor Jill Baumgartner.

Technical Skills

• Fluency in French and English (written and spoken)
• Strong writing and editing skills in both languages
• Background in environmental science, public health, or a related field
• Interest in science communication, policy translation, and climate-health issues
• Experience with visual communication tools (e.g., Canva or similar) is an asset

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisor

Professor Jayne Malenfant

Department of Integrated Studies in Education | Québec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collaborative

Project Description

This project aims to create policy recommendations to shape the prevention of homelessness in Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and other diverse sexual and gender communities (2SLGBTQ+) in Quebec. 2SLGBTQ+ populations are overrepresented in homelessness counts, but often face barriers, discrimination, and inappropriate services when entering housing supports. Led by 2SLGBTQ+ working group of the Quebec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collective (Q-HPPC), the project draws on available research, community sector knowledge, and diverse lived experience to shape potential levers for shifts to practice and policy that ensure members of these communities receive appropriate support and freedom from discrimination, before they are in moments of crisis. Key targets include the health, education, labour, and housing systems. Our objective is to mobilize diverse expertise to foster effective policy advocacy in a unique Quebec context. Our aim is to draft a report by December 2025 with key policy recommendations. The academic stream of this working group is led by Dr. Jayne Malenfant, of McGill’s Faculty of Education, and member of the Q-HPPC.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

The intern would be responsible for attending working group meetings (1 every 4 weeks), and meeting with Dr. Malenfant and co-chairs Annie Savage and Robbie Madsen, approximately every 2 weeks. Weekly responsibilities would include undertaking policy scans in areas identified by working group members, with a summary of potential levers for policy advocacy by the group. The final deliverable would be a compilation of these scans and summaries.

The intern would be invited to serve as a co-author on the final report, drafting sections during their intership which could be included directly as well as influencing the direction of our advocacy on 2SLGBTQ+ homelessness prevention.

Project Team

The 2SLGBTQ+ working group is supported by Bonnie Erba-Francois of the QHPPC, and is co-led by Jayne Malenfant, along with Annie Savage, director of the Réseau d'aide aux personnes seules et itinérantes de Montréal (RAPSIM), and Robbie Madsen, a peer worker and Two-Spirit Indigenous healer based in Montreal. The working group includes researchers from other institutions and those working out of homeless shelters, LGBTQ organizations, women's services, and other community groups. They will be invited to meet with the team at our monthly meetings and work directly with the co-leads to contribute to the team's activities. If the student is interested, Dr. Malenfant also runs a monthly housing research group with other students, and the intern will be welcome to join if they find this useful to support their work (they may choose, outside of working group meetings, how much or how little connection with their peers they would like to build in this project).

Dr. Malenfant will be available for regular meetings to actively guide supervision, and will undertake initial onboarding, including training on homelessness and community-based policy work, if necessary.

Technical Skills

Interns will have experience with policy scans and/or literature reviews. They will have some level of proficiency in academic writing. Some proficiency in French (if Anglophone) or in English (if Francophone) is required, as the working group is bilingual, and most policies will be in French only.

A knowledge of 2SLGBTQ+ or housing issues would be a strong asset. Belonging to the 2SLGBTQ+ community or having lived or professional experience in the homelessness sector is an asset. Visual design skills would be a plus.

Transferable Skills

The intern should be comfortable or open to working across academic and community knowledges and methods, as the group is made up of researchers, frontline workers, advocates, and people with lived experience of homelessness. A commitment to social justice, systems transformation, and interest in homelessness prevention is a strong asset.

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisors

Professor Laurence Roy & Professor Raphael Lencucha

School of Physical & Occupational Therapy | Quebec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collaborative

Project Description

Pathways into homelessness have been shown to be gender specific, with more women experiencing homelessness after fleeing intimate partner or other forms of violence, or due to the impact of dominant sexist structures and gender norms on their financial and residential safety nets. Fleeing family or intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most frequent reason why women lose their homes, and they are particularly at risk of homelessness when they are unable to access IPV shelters. Previous studies have shown that women with cognitive and psychiatric disabilities experience many barriers to accessing IPV shelters and other IPV-specific resources. Women who cannot access IPV shelters when attempting to flee violence tend to either remain in hidden homelessness, stay with an abusive partner, or be directed towards homeless shelters. While the latter offers a low-barrier response to immediate needs, they are unable to provide comprehensive services to respond to IPV-related needs of women. In contrast, IPV shelters offer more comprehensive and specialized services, such as child-care and child support services, safe and secure shelter, and legal accompaniment. This disability-exclusive approach appears to be closely tied to a siloed policy and funding landscape in Québec and Canada. The aims of the internship are to: (1) identify federal, provincial, regional and municipal policies and action plans from the housing, homelessness and IPV sectors that would be applicable to Québec women at the intersection of IPV and cognitive or psychiatric disabilities; (2) examine representations of disability and gender within these documents.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

This project is conducted in partnership with the Fédération des maisons d’hébergement pour femmes du Québec (Fédé), an association of women’s shelters from both the IPV and women’s homelessness sector. The Fédé and its member organisations are the principal knowledge users of this project, and the deliverables should be tailored to their needs. Two deliverables are anticipated: (1) a policy/opinion piece that could published in either an academic journal (e.g., https://policyoptions.irpp.org/) or another publication like a newspaper or community newsletter (2) a visual representation of the main findings in a way that is accessible to diverse knowledge users (e.g. infographic, webinar). Under the supervision of faculty members, the intern will be responsible for planning the policy search, selection and data extraction process, as well as for data analysis.

Project Team

The project will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Laurence Roy and Prof. Raphael Lencucha, within a broader team composed of another Q-HPCC member (Pearl Eliadis), other researchers focused on women’s housing and health (Marie-Marthe Cousineau, Naomi Nichols, Karla Jacobsen), graduate students from Prof. Roy’s lab (Vanessa Seto, William Jubinville) and knowledge users (Mylène Bigaouette).

Technical Skills

Potential interns should have an academic and/or professional background in a field related to disability and rehabilitation, with an interest in critical disability analysis/studies. Potential interns should also be minimally familiar with intersectional feminist theories as applied to homelessness and/or housing. Knowledge of the Québec homelessness community sector is an asset.

Transferable Skills

Potential interns should be self-directed learners who are able to plan and conduct research tasks with moderate supervision. The project will also require excellent critical thinking skills, as well as rigorous data analysis skills. The potential intern should be able to collaborate within a diverse team and to actively participate in team meetings who may be in English or in French. Excellent English writing skills and French verbal communication skills are expected. Skills related to the creation of accessible knowledge mobilization tools are an asset.

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisors

Professor Jonas-Sébastien Beaudry

Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy | Faculty of Law

Project Description

This project investigates the intersection of socioeconomic rights and medical assistance in dying (MAiD), with a focus on how access—or lack thereof—to social, economic, and cultural supports may influence individuals' end-of-life decisions. International human rights jurisprudence has increasingly affirmed that governments must ensure adequate living standards, accessible healthcare, and nondiscriminatory social participation. However, gaps remain in understanding how these obligations are enforced and how their absence may contribute to suicidality or decisions to pursue MAiD.

The research uses case law from United Nations treaty bodies to identify patterns in state obligations to provide socioeconomic supports in contexts potentially analogous to MAiD. Although current international jurisprudence rarely references MAiD explicitly, the findings suggest a compelling need for policy reform and improved welfare provision to support those experiencing intolerable social conditions.

This internship will support efforts to bridge the gap between legal principles and lived realities by helping to synthesize jurisprudence and connect it with policy debates on MAiD. The intern will gain experience in legal and policy research, contribute to literature synthesis, and help communicate findings to a broader academic and policy-oriented audience.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

• A summary chart/database of relevant UN treaty body decisions coded by rights themes (e.g., housing, health, discrimination).
• Biweekly progress updates and a final presentation summarizing contributions and key takeaways.

Time and interest permitting, the intern may also work on or contribute to:

• A literature review that connects existing MAiD policies to international human rights findings.
• A policy brief on the implications of key cases for MAiD-related legislation in Canada or elsewhere.

Project Team

The intern will primarily work under the supervision of the faculty lead, who will provide regular mentorship and guidance. While the work is largely independent, the intern will be integrated into the broader research environment through biweekly check-ins and collaborative planning sessions.

Technical Skills

Required skills:

• Strong legal research and writing skills;
• Familiarity with international human rights law or Canadian constitutional/health law;
• Ability to analyze and synthesize case law and legal commentary;
• Competence using legal databases (e.g., UN Treaty Body Jurisprudence Database, CanLII, Westlaw)

Assets:

• Prior coursework in human rights, disability or health law;
• Experience working with policy documents or preparing legal; briefs/memos;
• Familiarity with international legal mechanisms, including UN treaty bodies
• An upper-year law student with demonstrated interest in human rights, health law, or social justice-related legal issues would be an ideal candidate for this position

Transferable Skills

Required:

• Strong critical thinking and attention to detail
• Excellent written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively
• Open-mindedness and sensitivity to ethically complex and emotionally sensitive issues

Assets:

• Experience summarizing complex information for non-specialist audiences
• Interest in policy reform, public interest law, or social equity
• Comfort engaging in discussions around mental health, disability, or end-of-life care with empathy and professionalism

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisor

Professor Lara Khoury

Faculty of Law

Project Description

Faced with the devastation caused by climate change, the opioid crisis, smoking and fast food, governments are criticized for their inability to introduce measures to protect the health and well-being of the community. his lack of responsiveness on the part of the State and the insufficient self-regulation of industry and institutions have led to an erosion of public trust in traditional modes of governance, such as direct action by legislators or governments. As a result, citizens are turning to the courts, resulting in a judicialization of healthcare governance reflected in a rise in civil liability litigation against public authorities and risk-creators, in particular industry and healthcare institutions. This project consists of a literature review and doctrinal analysis (or systematic review analysis) that will seek to achieve two objectives:

1. Document the failures of traditional modes of health governance (legislation, regulation, public policy, criminal law) in four key areas (public health crises; environmental protection and the fight against climate change; healthcare safety; biomedical innovation) and in three continents (North-America, Europe and Oceania), as well as the erosion of public trust that flows from this situation.
2. Document the discussions that recognize law as a social determinant of health, and in particular the rarely studied effect of litigation based on tort law (civil liability) (a role recognized by the WHO).

This literature review will play a crucial part within a broader project that seeks to evaluate the role of litigation as a lever for social change and improved health governance.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

A literature review and analysis meeting Objective 2 above, with work on Objective 1 above if time permits.

Project Team

The intern will interact on a weekly basis with Prof. Khoury and the other RAs who will work on other parts of the project. We will all meet together (via Teams) so that we keep each other aware of how the whole projects advances during the term and the DEEP intern can be part of a larger team.

Technical Skills

Experience doing literature review (does not need to be extensive) or similar and ability to use legal and social sciences and humanities databases. Interest in health policy. Bilingualism an asset.

Transferable Skills

1. Research abilities
2. Writing skills
3. Abilities in time management and team communication

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisor

Professor Claudia Mitchell

Department of Integrated Studies in Education

Project Description

TRANSFORM is a 6-year transnational project funded through the SSHRC Partnership Grant program focusing on participatory visual approaches (cellphilming, photovoice, drawing, textiles, performance) to disrupting gender norms with young people in a number of countries including Malawi, Mali, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, and Indigenous youth in Canada. The project takes a 'youth at the centre' approach to policy dialogue, organized around annual Youth Summit cycles (local community summits and a transnational in-person and virtual summits).

The focus of this internship between September and December 2025 extends the learnings and knowledge mobilization coming out of the first 6 months of Year 2 of the project, notably working with the interview data with youth involved in mounting and hosting the ‘Youth United Will Never Be Defeated’ travelling exhibition on disrupting gender norms. It will also involve working with the visual and textual documentation coming out of the community ad policy dialogue exhibitions at each of 12 or more sites to form the foundation for a digital photobook and an exhibition at McGill in November.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

1. Data report: The intern will draw together the interview data from approximately 50 youth (assembling and transcribing) and work with other members of the interview team to develop a coding system to work with this data.
2. Draft photobook: The intern will review various examples of PCL-produced photobooks, and supported by the team, will come up with a prototype/draft of a book on ;the biography of a travelling exhibition’. This will include visual documentation of all the different ways that ‘Youth United Will Never Be Defeated’ has been exhibited and received.
3. McGill exhibition: The intern will support the team to develop and mount an exhibition (Working title: Disrupting Gender Norms: Biography of a Travelling Exhibition ) at McGill in November, 2025. Deliverables will include contributions to promoting the event, visual documentation, and capturing audience responses.

Project Team

The intern will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team that includes the principal investigator, project administrative staff, a research associate, and research assistants (RAS). They will actively participate in regular lab and team meetings, fostering an environment of shared learning and collaboration. While the intern will be expected to take initiative and work independently on key deliverables, they will also be supported by the broader team throughout the internship.

Technical Skills

Required:

• Strong analytical skills.
• Familiarity with qualitative data collection and organization (e.g., interview transcription, coding).
• Competency with collaborative digital tools (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft Office).
• Basic digital file management and organization.
• Basic visual competencies.
• Working knowledge of Canva or other design tools such as Adobe Express.

Assets:

• Working knowledge of InDesign.
• Experience with visual storytelling or photobook development.
• Familiarity with qualitative data analysis software.
• Prior experience in arts-based or participatory research projects, especially in relation to community and policy dialogue.
• Experience creating or editing multimedia content (video, photo, text).

Transferable Skills

Required:

• Attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a research setting.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Time management and ability to meet deadlines.
• Openness to feedback and iterative learning.

Assets:

• Experience working with youth or in community-based research contexts.
• Cross-cultural communication skills.
• Sensitivity to ethical considerations when working with marginalized or vulnerable populations.
• Experience facilitating or supporting group discussions.
• Adaptability in dynamic, multi-partner project environments.

Supplemental Materials

N/A

Project Supervisor

Professor Monica Molinaro

Institute of Health Sciences Education (IHSE)

Project Description

An October 2023 report from the Montreal Economic Institute began with a short, but striking statement about the state of nursing for novice nurses in Quebec: "For every 100 nurses we train, 44 will leave the profession before their 35th birthday [...] The fact that young nurses are quitting en masse, indicates there is a problem with the way we treat them - particularly in their first years on the job." Work environments like these can be considered morally uninhabitable work environments. Through using critical narrative inquiry, as well as rich pictures as a narrative elicitation technique, our objective is to understand how the moral habitability of nursing work environments within the Ontario and Quebec healthcare systems has shaped the entry-to-practice experience of novice nurses before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the moral habitability of these work environments has contributed to novice nurses "leaving" their roles within five years of completing their nursing education between 2018-2024. By examining the stories of our nurse participants through the lens of moral habitability, we will be able to analyze both the socio-political and ethical dimensions of the nursing work environment, draw attention to the moral understandings and practices of responsibility in nursing, and critically interrogate how these understandings and practices are controlled, challenged, or constrained by nurses' work environments. We can then generate space for understanding the values, material conditions, and relationships of power that shape the moral habitability of these institutions, and generate possibilities for resistance and transformative action.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

The intern will provide support of a routine nature related to the start-up, collection and review of data for Dr. Molinaro’s Trial by Fire project. Duties will include tasks to support the conduct of this research project, such as data collection, data management, and qualitative analyses, as well as additional duties related to conducting qualitative research as required.

Accountabilities to Dr. Molinaro may include:

• Assist with the development of study materials for grant applications.
• Participate in qualitative coding and analysis under direction of supervisor, prepare summaries.
• Assist with obtaining data and information from databases to use in the development of presentations, scientific papers and reports.

Deliverables will include:

• Conducting 5 participant interviews
• Facilitating the drawing of rich pictures from 5 participants
• Ensuring all data collected has been uploaded to the proper secure networks
• Conducting multiple reads of study data to facilitate early data analysis
• Developing a PowerPoint presentation that discusses preliminary findings of the study

The final deliverable will be a one-hour presentation given to the IHSE research community at one of their weekly research meetings, that discusses the preliminary findings from the project.

Project Team

There are several other faculty members (as well as a research assistant) who will be working on this project with whom the intern will be interacting. Specifically, the intern will be interacting with a Master’s level Research Assistant (to be hired), as well as Elizabeth A. Kinsella (IHSE Faculty Member; DEEP Associate Member), Elizabeth H. Peter (University of Toronto), Erin K. Kennedy (The University of Western Ontario), Lia Sanzone (Ingram School of Nursing - McGill University), Melanie Lavoie-Tremblay (Université de Montréal), Rosetta Antonacci (Ingram School of Nursing - McGill University) and Tamara Carver (IHSE Faculty Member).

The intern will participate in Dr. Molinaro’s regular lab meetings, which will include a Master’s level Research Assistant, as well as two PhD students that will be joining Dr. Molinaro’s lab in September. Additionally, the intern will be invited to all project research group meetings. The intern will also be invited to attend weekly IHSE meetings. The IHSE offers a vibrant research community with over 50 Faculty, Associate, and Affiliate members, visiting scholars, and several PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, whose research and clinical work spans medicine, nursing, and occupational and physical therapy. This group meets every Thursday at Lady Meredith House to discuss various trans- and inter-disciplinary research projects.

Technical Skills

Required skills:

• Literature searching skills (e.g., how to use different databases, developing search strategies)
• Survey or form development (e.g., development of demographic questionnaires)
• Confidence and comfort in using Microsoft applications (e.g., Word, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive)

Assets:

• Previous participation in a qualitative research course
• Previous experience conducting qualitative research

The preferred candidate will have an academic background in health sciences, nursing, public health, global health, or in the social sciences.

Transferable Skills

The intern should be an attentive, diligent, and responsible individual who also possesses the below listed skills.

Required skills:

• Oral communication skills (e.g., conversations and interviews with participants, conversations with research team members and with Dr. Molinaro)
• Written communication skills (e,g., email communication with Dr. Molinaro, study team members, and participants; writing literature reviews)
• Critical thinking skills (e.g., problem-solving)
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Willingness to learn (e.g., willingness and effort to try new techniques, learn different ways of conducting research, learn new ideas from other people)
• Willingness to take direction from others (e.g., direction from Dr. Molinaro, from the team RA, from other project members)

Supplemental Materials

An academic writing sample. This can be from a course assignment.

Project Supervisor

Professor Claire Boone

Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy | Department of Economics

Project Description

More than one in four people in Quebec lack a regular family doctor, and the average wait to access one is 466 days. The shortage is especially severe in some rural regions, where up to 75 percent of residents may be without a family doctor. This raises concerns about equity, given the principle of equal access in Canada’s Health Act.

One contributing factor may be the growing number of unfilled residency positions, nearly all in family medicine. In 2025, 80 percent of Canada’s 118 unfilled residency slots were in family medicine, and 74 percent of those were in Quebec. The problem is pervasive: Quebec accounted for 74 percent of unfilled family medicine spots in 2022, 73 percent in 2023, and 93 percent in 2024. Meanwhile, hundreds of graduating medical students go unmatched each year, receiving no residency offers.

This project asks whether part of the shortage stems from a mismatch between physician preferences — such as urban versus rural location, practice type, or work-life balance — and the characteristics of available positions. It also explores whether preferences for family medicine change during medical school, and whether those changes are due to evolving values within cohorts or shifts in the composition of the medical student population over time.

The goal of this project is to begin research into why this mismatch persists, especially in Quebec. We will conduct a literature review, review existing surveys and Quebec policy changes, and assess the suitability of current data sources or the need for new data collection.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

The primary deliverable is a literature and scoping review, including peer-reviewed papers, conference abstracts, policy white papers, policy reports, and working papers, delivered in the form of an excel sheet summarizing each literature source. A second deliverable will be a summary of existing quantitative data sources such as surveys used in the recent literature. Depending on the intern’s progress and own goals, an optional third deliverable is a map, created in GIS, of filled and unfilled residency spots from 2015-2025 for Quebec and potentially other provinces.

Project Team

This is an early-stage project without a larger team built out yet. While I hope to add other researchers, for the fall semester it will likely be just me and the intern working closely together. The intern will have weekly deliverables, working mostly independently throughout the week, and we will have weekly one on one meetings to review progress, discuss challenges and ideas. I will be available by email for additional meetings as needed.

Technical Skills

This is a literature review focused internship. Strong written communication and organizational skills are required, particularly in synthesizing information clearly and concisely (e.g., in Excel or Word). The intern should have a high attention to detail and the ability to work independently.

Experience conducting literature reviews, including searching academic databases and summarizing findings is an asset, but prior experience is not required.

Additional assets are listed below. Candidates do not necessarily need to meet all of these criteria:

• Previous knowledge of economics concepts and methods, provided by successful completion of micro/macroeconomics introductory courses.
• Experience conducting research in the area of health policy, medicine, primary care practices.
• Coursework in health systems and policy research.

Transferable Skills

Transferable skills include critical thinking and the ability to assess the credibility and relevance of different sources of information, as well as strong time management and communication skills.

Students from any major are encouraged to apply, but students with an interest in health economics, health policy, public health or medicine will be particularly well-suited.

Supplemental Materials

Please submit a writing sample with your application, maximum two pages. This could be a paper, essay, or report from a prior class (feel free to cut it off at two pages if it’s longer), an article you wrote, or anything else that showcases your ability to write clearly and effectively.

Project Supervisor

Professor Amélie Quesnel-Vallée

Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy | Department of Sociology

Project Description

To support the EDI strategy at DNA to RNA (D2R), the interns will be asked to explore opportunities and challenges of Equity Deserving Groups (EDGs) in two areas:

1. The first one will be on EDG access to RNA therapeutics. Key factors expected to influence access include determinants of care-seeking behaviour depending on socioeconomic status, health literacy, perceived severity of symptoms, and trust in medical systems. These determinants are likely to shape patients' ability to interpret ambiguous or incomplete information and their willingness to seek timely care, especially when innovative treatments, such as RNA-based therapies, are involved. As D2R aims at developing RNA therapeutics for all, these findings will help to offer valuable data as a baseline to guide future EDI research focus at D2R.
2. The second one will be on EDG career progression in RNA research. As one of the main goals of D2R’s EDI action plan is to increase representation of Equity Deserving Groups in RNA research highest positions, it will be crucial to have a clear understanding of the state of Equity Deserving Groups representation in the D2R ecosystem and their experiences in their research climate. To collect this data, the interns will assist D2R’s Senior EDI Advisor in collecting data, analyzing and creating recommendations based on findings of D2R’s climate survey.

The EDGs to study include : women; 2SLGBTQIA+; Indigenous people; persons with disabilities; racialized individuals; African, Caribbean and Black people.

Student Responsibilities and Deliverables

1. Week 4: Presentation of literature review on EDG access to RNA therapeutics and list of recommendations of future EDI research focus at D2R
2. Week 8: Presentation of data analysis of the climate survey
3. Week 12: Presentation of recommendations for the EDI strategy at D2R from the results on the climate survey

Project Team

The interns will be supervised by Dr. Amélie Quesnel-Vallée to work with Mariloue Daudier, Senior EDI Advisor at D2R. They will be expected to work in person at the D2R office 10 hours per week to ensure advancement and continued collaboration to meet the deliverables of this internship.

Technical Skills

Required skills: Knowledge on literature reviews, data analysis.
Important assets: Knowledge on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Experience working with online survey platforms (e.g. Survey Monkey, Lime Survey).
Academic background could be in any academic field related to Equity work.

Transferable Skills

Required skills: Curiosity, collaboration, capacity to provide rigorous work and excellent time management to meet deadlines
Asset: Bilingual (French and English)

Supplemental Materials

N/A