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 done under the supervision of a McGill faculty member. During the academic year, Global Health Scholars benefit from various training and networking opportunities organized by Global Health Programs (GHP). These include 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, 2023
- Online Information Session: January 18, 2023 - Missed it? you can watch the recording below!
- Application Deadline: February 12, 2023
- Announcement of results: March 31, 2023
Program Timeline
- GHS Graduates Introduction Meeting: May 2023 (Date TBD)
- Pre-Departure Training: Complete 6-8 weeks prior to the travel date
- Travel to Research Site: six weeks on-site between May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024*
- Global Health Graduate Scholars cohort event series: Between October 2023 - April 2024
- Global Health Night: November 2023 (Date TBD)
- Final Report and Survey: Within six weeks of completing travel
*For MScPH students, travel must occur between May-August 2022 and be directly linked to their 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 enrolled in a McGill graduate program (Masters or PhD level).
- Students graduating in May/June 2023 are not eligible to apply. In other words, you need to be registered for at least a course in the Summer 2023 or Fall 2023 term.
- 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 various disciplines representative of the diversity found under the umbrella of global health. These include, but are not limited to: medicine, nursing, health sciences, nutrition, rehabilitation, law, social sciences, engineering, education, agriculture, epidemiology, population and public health, and health policy.
- Projects must entail field-based or lab-based work conducted in an international setting (LMIC country) or in Northern Canada (indigenous health). Please note that by LMIC we mean "low or middle-income country" which refers to countries listed as per the World Bank listings (up to and including upper-middle-income economies).
- 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 plan before beginning.
- If the project is at the implementation stage, it must have the approvals of all appropriate ethics boards.
- Learn about previous Global Health Scholars – Graduate cohorts
Funding
- Students will receive up to $3,000 to contribute towards travel costs.
- If a student or trainee is unable to travel according to the plan for which the application was submitted they must contact the Global Health Programs as soon as they know. On a case-by-case basis, the situation will have to be evaluated to determine if the award can be deferred, used for an elective in another location, or must be declined.
- The student’s supervisor or department should support actual research costs (e.g. equipment, tests)
- 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
- Travel should follow the directives set forth by McGill University, the Government of Quebec, travel advisories posted by Global Affairs Canada, the host country, and the on-site partner organization. GHP will consider the possibility of travel for students by April 1, 2024. If travel is not possible at this point, the GHP office will evaluate options with the student on a case-by-case basis to determine if the award can be deferred, used for an elective in another location, or must be declined.
Additional Travel-Related Information
- Students must be on-site at least six weeks to be eligible for travel funding. These six weeks do not have to be consecutive.
- Travel can occur between May 1, 2023, and April 30, 2024. Travel must be initiated by April 1, 2024, at the latest.
- For MScPH students, travel must occur between May-August 2023 and must be directly linked to the student’s practicum placement.
- The student and their faculty supervisor should communicate with the GHP office as soon as they are confirmed.
- GHP only funds travel to countries and regions with a Government of Canada travel advisory risk level of Level-1 (“take normal security precautions”) or Level-2 (“exercise a high degree of caution”).
- Travel to countries or regions with a Government of Canada travel advisory risk level of Level-3 (“Avoid all non-essential travel”) is only possible with written approval from the Deputy Provost. Please see McGill Abroad's Travel Exemption Request page for further instructions.
- Travel to countries or regions with a Government of Canada travel advisory risk level Level-4 (“Avoid all travel”) is not eligible.
- Review the latest Government of Canada 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 cohort for the 2023-2024 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, in November 2023 in Montreal.
- Global Health Scholars must participate in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences' online pre-departure training via MyCourses before travelling.
- Global Health Scholars must communicate with their faculty/partner organization supervisor and the GHP office on a regular basis before, during and after their project.
- Global Health Scholars must submit a mid-term report and a final report on their research project no later than six weeks after returning to Canada or after the six weeks are completed if they were not consecutive. GHP will provide a reporting template.
- Global Health Scholars can attend up to two courses in the McGill Summer Institutes in Global Health in summer 2024 without paying the registration fees.
Online Information Session - (January 18, 2023)
Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend our online information session for the 2023 Global Health Scholars – Graduate Program or view the recording below before applying.
How to apply
In addition to completing the application form, you need to prepare and upload a single PDF file containing all of the following:
- Project proposal(guidelines below)
- CV
- Copy of unofficial transcript - include the current term, even if grades do not appear.
Proposal Guidelines
- Max 3 pages, 11-point font, single-spaced.
- In addition to the 3-page proposal, applicants may submit a 1-page bibliography or reference sheet.
- Your proposal should respond to the following questions (1-6):
- Explain the research project you are seeking funding for through this program.
- How does your research project contribute to your field of study?
- How will your past experiences and interests in global health and research support your proposed work?
- Who are the on-site partners you are collaborating with? How are they involved in the execution of this work?
- How will the funding provided by this program make a difference to your project?
- The Global Health Scholars - Graduate program includes 2-3 trainings per year on global health topics and other learning opportunities. Please discuss one or more topics you would like to see covered and how you view this additional training piece of the program.
Evaluation Criteria
At least two reviewers will evaluate all applications based on the following criteria:
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- Research partnership: The applicant has a clear and defined collaboration plan that includes the involvement of the partner institution or on-site partners in the execution of research project.
- Suitability for the program: Overall suitability of the applicant and research project for the Global Health Scholars - Graduate program.
(Supporting evidence to be evaluated for this criterion-not limited to: research project, cv, transcript, contributions to research, prior global health experience, language/cultural competency, degree of self-reflection, and overall readiness to conduct research internationally or in Northern Canada).
Application form
Application materials should be submitted via the Global Health Scholars - Graduate Program application form (the link opens a new window). The form will open on January 10, 2023.
2023 Global Health Scholars are supported by:
- Ambassador Paul Frazer Travel Award for Global Health - Established in 2015 by Paul Frazer, BA 1970, to provide support for two graduate students in the Masters of Public Health Program in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill University, who are completing the practicum in under-resourced areas of the world. Spring. Awarded by the Faculty of Medicine upon the recommendation of the Director of Global Health Programs, and the Director of the MScPH program. For more information, please email mscph.eboh [at] mcgill.ca.
- Spencer-Hick Family Global Health Education and Training Fund - The goal of the Fund is to support undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows pursuing training, travel, fieldwork, research, and other activities related to global health.
- Mary A Metcalf International Travel Fund - The Mary A. Metcalf International Travel Fund is designated to support international research of undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-graduate medical residents within the Faculty of Medicine. Elective, research project or community service program must be at least four weeks. Its intent is to promote the training of health care workers and researchers to combat global health disparities, by supporting students to work with underserved populations in resource limited settings.
- Soe-Lin-Hecht Global Health Graduate Award - Established in 2019 by Dr. Shan Soe-Lin, BSc 2003, PhD 2009, Dr. Robert Hecht, and Hla Hla Myint Soe-Lin. To provide support for one or more outstanding Master's students in the Faculty of Medicine and conducting research in public health or epidemiology. For students conducting research overseas in low or middle-income countries, or in an indigenous community in Canada. Awarded by the Faculty of Medicine upon recommendation of the Director of Global Health Programs.
- Dr. Alice M. Chan‐Yip Humanitarian Global Health Initiatives Award - Established in 2022 by Alice M. Chan-Yip, C.M., MD CM 1962, FRCPC, FAAP, D.Sc. honoris causa 2018. Awarded by the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, upon the recommendation of the Director of Global Health Programs and the Director of the School of Population and Global Health, to one or more undergraduate or graduate students in the School. This award may be used to help defray costs related to travel and research for students participating in health-focused emergency or humanitarian relief projects. Preference will be given to students engaging in nutrition or mental health focused research or intervention through fieldwork.
