STUDENTSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM

Studentship & Fellowship Program

Preparing the Next Generation of Clinical Trials Professionals

The Studentships and Fellowships Program supports the development of clinical trial expertise in Canada by tackling a core challenge: ensuring researchers have access to essential resources and a deep understanding of Canadian methodologies, regulations, and reporting frameworks.

Our Program in Numbers

millions of total funds awarded

$ 0

million in provincial co-funding

$ 0 +

total awardees across Canada

CANTRAIN Awardees

provincial co-funding partners

Studentship and Fellowship competitions

partnering Clinical Trials Training Platforms

Clinical Trials Training Platforms (CTTP) Studentship/Fellowship Awards Program Competition

Building National Capacity Through Bold and Collaborative Leadership

The CTTP Studentship/Fellowship Awards Program is led and overseen by the CANTRAIN Studentship & Fellowship Task Force co-chaired by Dr. Kristian B. Filion and Dr. Bertrand J. Jean-Claude. The task force was established in the organizational structure of CANTRAIN in 2023 with the purpose of establishing guidelines for granting studentships and fellowships through national competitions.

This competition is delivered through a collaborative partnership between CAN-TAP-TALENT, CBITN, StrokeCog, and the Studentship, Fellowship and Internship Task Force. Together, we lead a coordinated national initiative to support the next generation of clinical trial professionals through integrated salary support, mentorship, and career development opportunities.

Provincial co-funders—including Michael Smith Health Research BC, Le Fonds de recherche du Québec – secteur Santé, Alberta Innovates, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, Nova Scotia Health Authority, the Cancer Research Society, Research Manitoba, and Research New Brunswick—play a vital role in extending the reach of CIHR funding. Through their combined support, we’re able to train more students across Canada than federal funding alone could achieve.

Discover our 41 CANTRAIN Awardees

Discover our 46 CANTRAIN Awardees

Check back in August 2025 for the results!

An Enriched Training Experience

Completion of the CANTRAIN Common Core Foundation, an online curriculum establishing foundational knowledge in clinical trials.
Mentor-led live group sessions focused on scientific challenges and professional development.
Mentorship Triads, an innovative initiative pairing trainees with both a scientific mentor and a patient partner to integrate patient perspectives into the research process.
Opportunities to share their research and network through a poster competition and opportunities for oral presentations during their studentship or fellowship year.

Trainee Testimonial

It Changed My Practice:

I’m an MD/PhD student and a CANTRAIN awardee. When I attended the first CANTRAIN Clinical Trials Summit in2024, I didn’t expect it to reshape how I approach research—but it did. During a plenary session on patient engagement, I heard directly from patient partners about the barriers they face in accessing trials, especially in rural areas. Their stories—and their solutions—made me realize that my studies weren’t always accessible to the people who could benefit most. That session stayed with me. Over the next year, I redesigned my trial to be more decentralized, allowing patients in Interior BC to receive care closer to home. The change wasn’t just logistical—it was personal. Participants told us that they felt included and valued. Thanks to CANTRAIN, I now build trials that meet patients where they are. It changed how I work—and I believe it’s changing the future of clinical research in Canada.

Bringing Together a Community of Students and Mentors: The Clinical Trials Training Summit

In addition to training and mentoring, the Studentships and Fellowships Program strengthens Canada’s clinical trial capacity by supporting emerging researchers and professionals. Successful students and fellows gain opportunities to share their research, build connections, and expand their professional networks.

Participants from the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 cohorts presented their work during poster sessions and competitions held in Montreal, QC, and Vancouver, BC, as part of the Clinical Trials Training Summits.

Awardee Research & Summit Highlights

Meet Our Provincial Co-funders

Provincial co-funders are essential to making the Awards Program for Graduate and Postdoctoral Training in Clinical Trials a truly unprecedented national initiative. Their support includes co-funding awards across provinces and leveraging their networks to promote the program to institutions and prospective candidates in each region.