Trainees

Overview

VIRTUES (Virtual Integrated Reliable Transformative User-Driven E-Health System) is a digital healthcare platform, developed by the Cardiovascular Network of Canada (CANet), that provides individual patients with a cloud-based electronic personal health record (PHR) and specific guidelines-directed management recommendations. Unique to VIRTUES is a series of care-sets that operate using built-in algorithms that assist to provide treatment recommendations specific to the patient including personalized educational material. Each patient will only be exposed to care-set(s) specific to their condition. Physicians and medical professionals who are part of each patient’s circle of care will also be given recommendations based on the VIRTUES’ built-in algorithms.

VIRTUES includes the following care-sets:

1. Antithrombotic Management
2. Post Myocardial Infarction Care
3. AF Rate & Rhythm Control
4. Lipid Management
5. Hypertension Management
6. Blood Sugar Management
7. Heart Failure Care
8. Physical Activity
9. Healthy Eating
10. Smoking Cessation
11. Alcohol Reduction

The VIRTUES Clinical Development Scholarship Award is an opportunity for a clinician to be involved in the ongoing clinical development of VIRTUES and gain specialized expertise not normally acquired during other fellowship experiences or in clinical practice. Successful applicants will help in both the research and development of VIRTUES’ built-in algorithms, translating clinical guidelines and workflows into new innovative technological solutions to improve patient experience and clinical practice.

Eligibility

• Applicants must have completed or are near completion of their cardiology residency training (2nd or 3rd year), or a complementary specialty related to cardiology prior to commencing the scholarship award.
• Applicants must have a supervisor/mentor that is a CANet Network Investigator at an institute that can receive tri-agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) funding. If the applicant does not have a supervisor/mentor, CANet can assist with finding an appropriate supervisor/mentor to match the candidate. If you do not currently have a supervisor/mentor, please indicate this in the application form.
• Applicants who completed their medical training outside of Canada are eligible to apply provided the applicant is certified to practice medicine in Canada.

The deadline for applications is Friday, March 10, 2023 (11:59 pm Pacific Time)

Funding Details

The VIRTUES Clinical Development Scholarship Award provides a stipend of $20,000/year for a maximum of one (1) year, with the possibility of renewal for a second year. The award term will be from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. The successful applicant is expected to commit at least 15 hours a week to VIRTUES clinical development.

Evaluation Criteria

The principal qualifications on which applicants will be evaluated are the ability to provide expertise in one or more of the listed VIRTUES care-sets and the potential of this opportunity to accelerate a combined career as a clinician and researcher. More specifically, points considered in the assessment of an applicant are as follows:

• Academic achievements
• Publication record and contributions to published work
• Research accomplishments to date, including evidence of independence and originality
• Appropriateness and quality of the candidate’s proposed qualifications to further VIRTUES while enhancing the candidate’s clinical and research career
• Strength of references

Selection Process

Proposals will be screened by CANet Operations for completeness. Eligible applications will then be subject to peer review and ranked by an adjudication committee assembled by CANet. The number of scholarships awarded will be based on the quality of the candidates and the availability of funding.

Application Details and Procedure

A complete VIRTUES Clinical Development Scholarship Award application includes the following:

1. The completed VIRTUES Clinical Development Scholarship Award Application Form

2. Statement of Qualifications (free-form, maximum three (3) pages, excluding references, which may be appended on a separate page). The following points should be addressed:

• Provide a description of qualifications related to advancing VIRTUES, including any experience related to application development, algorithm development, clinical guideline development, machine learning/AI integration, etc. (See: https://canetinc.ca/digital-health/)
• Provide a description of the care-sets of interest, explaining qualifications in advancing specific care-sets and how previous training relates to expertise in those care-sets.
• Describe the mentorship expected to be acquired through this award and how this award will enable personal career advancement in research and/or clinical practice.

3. Applicant’s CV including institutional or university verification of completed medical degrees.

4. Reference letters from two (2) individuals under whom the candidate has trained and who have had an opportunity to assess the candidate’s potential for clinical/research success. Reference letters must be sent directly from the individual electronically to [email protected]. The candidate’s supervisor may be a reference.

The deadline for applications is Friday, March 10, 2023 (11:59 pm Pacific Time)

A completed submission includes:

Submit your completed application in a single PDF document to [email protected].

Please note that hard copy submissions are not required.

Click here to download the application (MS Word)

Click here to download Info Sheet (PDF)

The Travel Award program is available to CHAT members to attend conferences/workshops/events (in-person or virtually) outside of those sponsored by CANet.

Overview

CHAT Travel Awards are available to CHAT members to present their CANet related results or outreach initiatives at virtual or in-person conferences/workshops/events outside of those sponsored by CANet.

This is an open competition and submissions may be entered at any time. When possible, please submit applications at least four weeks in advance of the event. Applications submitted within four weeks prior to the event may not be reviewed in time. Preference will be given to those with accepted abstracts; however, it is not a requirement for the award.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a member of CHAT and must have a sponsor/mentor that is a CANet Network Investigator.

Individuals that are in the field of arrhythmia research aligned with CANet’s strategic plan are eligible for CHAT membership under the following categories:

• Students in progress of completing degrees (MSc, PhD, MD) in the fields of medicine, science, engineering, social science and/or health care)
• Medical Residents and Clinical Fellows, Post-doctoral Fellows
• Professional advancement (research associates, assistants, technologists, etc.)

Award Requirements

• The conference/workshop/event must be hosted by a reputable organization. Preference will be given to those with abstracts accepted to HRS (Heart Rhythm Society) or CCC (Canadian Cardiovascular Congress). If requesting funding support for conferences other than HRS or CCC, the applicant’s supervisor must provide a letter indicating the importance of the conference the applicant is intending to attend.
• CANet’s support must be acknowledged in oral/poster presentations
• A two-page maximum summary report must be submitted which outlines the experiences obtained from attending the event.

Funding Details

• Registration fees (virtual or in-person), travel, accommodations, and meals are eligible expenses. Printing of posters or other supplies will not be covered. Up to a maximum of $1500 may be awarded.
• All expenses must follow CANet’s Travel Policy.

Selection Process and Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by the CANet administrative staff in collaboration with the Chair of the CANet Training and Education Committee.

Click here to download the application (MS Word)

The Publication Award recognizes outstanding publications authored by a CHAT Trainee through nomination from CANet Network Investigators.

Overview

This award recognizes outstanding publications authored by a CHAT Trainee in the basic or clinical research space through nominations from CANet Network Investigators.

Award recipients will be announced via e-blast communication. Award recipients will receive a letter of recognition and certificate signed by the TEC Chair and Scientific Director. A cash prize of $200 will also be awarded.

Eligibility

• The nominator must be a CANet Network Investigator
• The nominee must hold membership in CHAT or has graduated from CHAT within the last 6 months
• The nominee should be the primary/first author on the submitted publication
• The publication should have been published/accepted within 24 months of the application deadline
• The nominee has not been the recipient of a CHAT Publication Award in the last 12 months

Award Requirements

The nomination package includes:

• Letter of support from the nominator. This must detail the trainee’s role in the research project and publication preparation (maximum 500 words)
• Letter from the nominee detailing their role in the research project and what they learned as a result of their experience (maximum 500 words)
• Copy of published/accepted manuscript

Selection Process and Criteria

Nomination packages will be reviewed by the CANet Training and Education Committee and CANet Network Investigators.

click here to download the application (MS Word)

Call for Research Proposals

CANet is committed to finding innovative solutions to reduce premature death and suffering caused by heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias). These solutions will also lead to economic and/or social benefits for the Canadian population.

CANet is inviting CHAT (CANet HQP Association for Trainees) members to submit research proposals for the CHAT Discovery Competition. The competition allows trainees to be the principal investigator on an original work. This award is not a funding mechanism to support/supplement currently funded research projects. This award is to support novel research ideas from applicants. Successful proposals will be given funds (maximum of $25,000) to initiate their proposed research project under the supervision/mentoring of a CANet Network Investigator.  All submitted proposals must be aligned with CANet’s strategic research plan and involve one or more of the CANet areas of focus (Atrial Fibrillation, Syncope, and Sudden Cardiac Death). Matching funds (cash or in-kind) from potential partners are encouraged, but not required.

To conclude the competition, finalists will give an oral presentation during the Expert Knowledge Exchange: Building for the Future event held in Toronto, Ontario from November 17 – 18, 2022. To be eligible for this competition, you must be a member of CHAT and must be able to attend the event (all travel costs will be covered for finalists).

For complete details, please download and review the following:

click here to download the application (MS Word)