Placement opportunities
THIS PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITY IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
University of Toronto Leadership Placement Course PHE350Y/450Y
The enrollment process for the PHE350Y & PHE450Y Leadership Placement courses begins in the January before the school term the placement will take place in. Students who have been approved for PHE350Y and PHE450Y Leadership Placement courses will be automatically entered into the course on ROSI before course registration commences. Students must select their own practical section on ROSI, refer to the Academic Timetable for tutorial times. Placement matches for the current session are listed below.
Please refer to the U of T website for more information: U of T Leadership Courses
Placement location: Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children
Position title: Research Assistant
Description of Placement: (Up to 10 spots available for 3rd or 4th year students)
- The specific goals of this initiative are to provide a constant research presence in the Emergency Room and to educate and mentor future research and/or healthcare professionals. Placement students will function as research assistants for studies in the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine at SickKids. Ongoing studies are focused on treatment strategies in children with asthma, bronchiolitis, gastroenteritis/ vomiting and fractures
- Volunteers will screen incoming patients to identify those eligible for studies. Depending on the study, the volunteer will help with enrolment (e.g. explain the study to potential participants and their families) and assist research staff with the completion of tasks associated with the study protocol.
- Additional benefits to eligible student volunteers include a reference letter and an official certificate of completion of the Clinical Research Training Program at The Hospital for Sick Children
Special requirements
- This placement requires a commitment of approximately 135 hours. Students will choose one of the 21 available shifts and are responsible for one five-hour shift every week from October to March.
- The shifts are every day from Monday to Sunday as follows: 0800-1300; 1300-1800; 1800-2300
- Students must also meet SickKids hiring requirements (refer to Volunteer Services for information forms), complete ethics and Good Clinical Practice training and familiarize themselves with currently recruiting protocols prior to starting
Former Students’ Learning Activities
- Opportunity to be part of a research team led by a scientist-level staff physician in the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine
- In a real clinical setting, learn about conducting research: identify, screen, enrol patients, assist with study-related tasks in accordance with local, federal and international ethical guidelines
- Enhance your knowledge of research policy related to informed consent, privacy regulations, the principles of Good Clinical Practice and conducting Health Canada regulated clinical trials
- Interact with parents and/or their children when screening, enroling and completing study tasks
- Interact with nurses, physicians, fellows, residents and other health-care personnel
- Students will be welcome to attend research rounds in the Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine and in other Acute Care Research Areas at The Hospital for Sick Children outside of their scheduled shift
- Further educational sessions on research methods will be available
- Depending on interest and commitment, there are opportunities to co-author an abstract or manuscript
Mentors
- All mentors are staff physicians in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, scientists with the Child Health Evaluative Sciences in the Research Institute and have graduate appointments at U of T:
- Dr. Suzanne Schuh, Professor, Research Director, Senior Associate Scientist (Asthma and Bronchiolitis)
- Dr. Kathy Boutis, Assistant Professor, Associate Scientist (Fractures and Radiology)
- Dr. Stephen Freedman, Assistant Professor, Associate Scientist (Vomiting/ Gastroenteritis)