SickKids Summer Research (SSuRe) Program

To be hired as a Research Summer Student you must meet ONE of the following criteria:

• Be enrolled in a university/college undergraduate program in the fall following SSuRE. This includes high school students in their last year. 
• Be enrolled in medical school. 
• If you are in your final year of undergraduate studies, you must be, or have applied to be, enrolled in a university/college program in the fall.

You must also be working on a research project under the supervision of a researcher with an appointment in the SickKids Research Institute. 

If you’re a high school student but not in your last year, you may be eligible to participate in the Student Advancement Research (StAR) internship program.

To apply to be a Summer Research Student, you need to:

1. Find a position that interests you.
   • Review posted positions (available in late fall/early winter)  
   • Use our list of SickKids researchers to identify scientists working in areas that interest you  

2. Complete the SSuRe application form.
   • Submit your application through the official form 
   • If applying to multiple scientists, submit a separate application for each 
   • Applications sent directly to the Research Training Centre or Human Resources will not be accepted or forwarded, so make sure you use the application form  

The U of T Student Life blog has a handy post with advice on applying for summer research positions. 

In the SSuRe Program application, students will be asked to provide the contact information for their referee. 

The hiring supervisor will ask students to provide a reference letter during or after the interview stage. 

The reference letter should come from an individual who is familiar with your skills and is best able to describe your past and/or current work/school experience (e.g., a professor, high school teacher, previous employer, volunteer supervisor, etc.).

• To ensure that it remains confidential, the letter should not be sent to you or included in your application package. Your referee should email the reference letter directly to the hiring scientist(s) with the subject line: SickKids Summer Research Reference Letter - <Candidate’s Last Name>, <First Name>.  
• There are no specific criteria your referee should address, but you can suggest that your referee consider describing your educational background, academic performance, relevant research training or work experience, characteristics, and abilities. Your referee should also highlight your achievements to date. Make sure that you provide your referee with a copy of your application and CV to refer to when writing your letter!  

A Research Summer Student placement can be of any duration (except for the Lunenfeld Summer Studentship and the Opportunity Summer Studentship, funded positions which must be 15 weeks) and the start dates and end dates, as well as hours per week, can be negotiated between each student and supervisor. Research Summer Students must be paid the minimum hourly rate + 6% vacation.

Students and their supervisors will negotiate working hours at the time of hire or start. 

Summer Research Project

We are seeking enthusiastic and motivated undergraduate students to join the Toulany Lab research team for summer research positions. These positions are ideal for individuals interested in adolescent health and looking to gain hands-on experience in research projects that utilize patient and family engagement approaches to promote health research that are most important to children, youth and families/caregivers that are reflective of their perspectives.

Project 1: Mapping the Journey for Youth Transitioning to Adult Care Project Overview: The goal of this project is to advance our understanding of the lived experiences of Canadian youth living with chronic health conditions as they navigate the critical transition period into adulthood and adult health care services. The results of this study will discern the shared experiences of the transition journey from pediatric to adult healthcare settings and identify system-based solutions to support successful transitions. The project objectives include:

• Adopting an integrative knowledge mobilization approach, to inform study design and procedures
• Using an online narrative photovoice methodology, to illuminate the transition experiences of youth living with chronic health conditions
• Integrating the findings from Objective 2, to co-design journey maps with youth and their caregivers that visually capture the commonalities and differences in experiences.

The student will be co-supervised by Dr. Alene Toulany and Dr. Tieghan Killackey.

Responsibilities:

• Support the launch of a photovoice study
• Develop youth- and caregiver-friendly study materials
• Assist with recruitment efforts and participant training
• Perform data management tasks, including data cleaning and reporting
• Collaborate with lab members and participate in meetings with the larger research team

Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor's program in life, medical or health sciences, psychology, or arts-based programs
• Excellent organizational, communication (written and oral), and time-management skills
• Demonstrate knowledge of qualitative and/or arts-based research designs
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Project 2: Understanding the Impact of Ontario's School Cell Phone Ban on Youth Mental Health Project Overview: The goal of this project is to evaluate whether the school cell phone ban is associated with changes in self-reported mental health and the number of mental health related healthcare visits for middle and high school-aged adolescents (ages 12-18) in Ontario. An interdisciplinary research team with expertise in evaluating the effects of public policy will integrate youth partners and other knowledge users to assess the first three years of the school cell phone ban through the following three objectives:

• Evaluate changes in self-reported mental health and screen time
• Evaluate changes in youth mental healthcare visits
• Describe how the cell phone ban was implemented across Ontario

Responsibilities:

• To help establish a youth engagement panel
• Develop youth- and caregiver-friendly recruitment and study materials
• Support the launch of the qualitative study phase
• Develop and plan semi-structured interviews with youth and other knowledge users
• Collaborate with other lab members and attend meetings with the larger research team

Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor's program in life, medical or health sciences or social work
• Demonstrate knowledge of qualitative research designs
• Prior experience related to youth and patient engagement is an asset
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent organizational, communication, and time-management skills

This is a hybrid work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Indicate toulany.lab@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

February 23, 2026

Summer Research Project

We are looking to recruit summer students from engineering, physics, neuroscience, computer science, or related fields to work in a biomedical engineering lab focused on neuromodulation and brain interfacing technologies. Our project themes include neuromodulation, brain-interfacing devices, focused ultrasound therapy, magnetic resonance imaging, digitial signal processing, computer simulations, image processing, and machine learning. This is an onsite work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Indicate adam.waspe@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

February 27, 2026

Summer Research Project

The student will support a pilot sustainability project in the SickKids angiography suites to quantify waste generation and misclassification (contamination rate) and measure energy consumption during peak, active, and idle states, then help design and evaluate low-cost, high-impact interventions (e.g., education, recycling optimization, and power-down protocols). Findings will contribute to a pediatric-specific "Green Angiosuite Framework" for broader implementation and dissemination. This is an onsite work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Indicate carmen.parra-farinas@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

February 28, 2026

Summer Research Project

We are looking for multiple summer students to join our research program focusing on applications of novel data analytic methods and machine learning in pediatric cardiovascular applications (https://ihpme.utoronto.ca/faculty-profile/manlhiot-cedric/). Students are needed for both our data science and clinical research streams. Students in the data science streams must be enrolled in a field of study related to data science or computer science with previous experience/coursework on machine learning, deep learning, model fine-tuning and designing model architecture; knowledge of python is mandatory. Previous experience with natural language processing, large language models, transformer architecture and cloud-based computing is a plus. Students are expected to have a high degree of interest in data sciences, statistics, and healthcare, a high level of independence and great problem-solving abilities. This opportunity is suitable for students who wants to get hands-on experience on real-world healthcare applications. Students in the clinical research stream should be enrolled in health science or a biomedical field of study. Students will be involved in clinical data entry and management, data labelling, chart review, quality assurance and research support. Students only need limited prior experience to apply, the research team will be able to provide the necessary training and support. Students are expected to have a high degree of interest in the subject area, a high level of independence, great attention to details and great problem-solving abilities. Students need to be able to commit at least 4 days/week and 15 weeks over the summer (May to August 2025). This is a hybrid position although flexible work arrangements can be negotiated based on work performance. Positions might be extended through the academic year based on program needs, interest and performance during the summer term. Student contributions will be recognized in all relevant conference presentations and scientific publications.

How to Apply

• Attach a cover letter indicating whether they are applying for the data science or clinical research stream to your SSuRe program application
• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Indicate arnelle.lardizabal@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

February 28, 2026

Summer Research Project

Students will participate in EBV related research and/or a genome project within Black Canadian communities. Those participating in our research within Black communities will function within a team that is engaged in a range of activities aimed at fostering a comprehensive understanding of research among marginalized populations. These activities include literature reviews to grasp the historical and sociocultural cultural contexts, assisting in the collection and analysis of demographic data, conducting interviews with community members, and organizing outreach events to facilitate knowledge translation. This is a hybrid work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Indicate dana.hiraldo-santos@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

February 28, 2026

Summer Research Project

The summer student will contribute to three linked systematic reviews focused on overuse in paediatric healthcare. Overuse occurs when the potential for harm outweighs potential benefit. These reviews aim to synthesise evidence on prevalence, contributing factors, and effectiveness of strategies to reduce overuse. The student may be involved in conducting literature searches, screening, data extraction, quality assessment, and data synthesis. What you will gain:

• Hands-on experience conducting systematic reviews in child health research
• Skills in evidence synthesis methods
• Exposure to implementation science concepts and behavioural approaches to changing practice

Experience with applied health research or psychology is an asset. Experience with systematic reviews is an asset. This is an onsite work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Include a cover letter describing why you are interested in the project and highlighting any relevant experience in your SSuRe program application
• Indicate hajar.seiyad@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

March 2, 2026

Summer Research Project

This project evaluates the implementation of ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) as a form of fertility preservation for children and adolescents with ovaries receiving cancer treatment. OTC involves surgically removing, freezing and storing ovarian tissue, which can later be reimplanted to restore fertility. The implementation evaluation includes mixed methods research to describe the processes and strategies used to support implementation, and to understand uptake, acceptability, and experiences of patients, family caregivers, and healthcare providers. Data collection methods include document analysis, questionnaires, and qualitative interviews. The student may be involved in data collection and data analysis activities. What you will gain:

• Experience applying implementation and behavioural science approaches in a paediatric oncology context
• Skills in mixed methods research and applied evaluation
• Insight into interdisciplinary collaboration across healthcare, research and family partnerships

Experience with applied health research or psychology is an asset. Experience with questionnaire or qualitative interview studies is an asset. This is an onsite work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Include a cover letter describing why you are interested in the project and highlighting any relevant experience in your SSuRe program application
• Indicate hajar.seiyad@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

March 2, 2026

Summer Research Project

Our lab uses using comparative and functional genomics to understand human development and disease. We have both computational and wet bench projects available based on the experience of the applicant. Experimentally, we are using CRISPR/Cas9 technologies to study cis regulatory elements (CREs) involved in endothelial cell inflammation and zebrafish reporter assays to study the impact variants within CREs. Summer trainees will work closely with lab members to develop and perform their project. This is an onsite work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Indicate md.wilson@utoronto.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

March 27, 2026

Summer Research Project

The Kids Eye Biobank at SickKids plays a vital role in advancing research on pediatric eye disease and cancers by collecting, cataloging, and preserving biological samples, clinical images, and health data from pediatric patients. These carefully curated resources are made available to researchers worldwide for subsequent studies, fostering collaborations that seek to uncover new insights into disease mechanisms, develop diagnostic advancements, and identify innovative therapeutic approaches. The Summer Research Student will support the development of high-quality, research-ready imaging datasets by performing image segmentation and evaluating inter-rater reliability to ensure accurate, reproducible annotations for pediatric eye disease research. This role offers a meaningful opportunity to support impactful research in pediatric ophthalmology and oncology, contributing directly to scientific advancements that may improve patient outcomes.

Key responsiblities include:

1. Image Abstraction: Review and extract relevant image data from medical records to populate the biobank database accurately.
2. Data Entry and Management: Maintain meticulous records of sample inventory, patient data, and associated research materials to ensure data integrity and compliance with privacy regulations.
3. Image Segmentation: Conduct image segmentation and participate in inter-rater reliability assessments to maintain consistency, accuracy, and quality assurance of annotated biobank images.
4. Collaboration and Reporting: Work closely with research teams and biobank staff to prepare datasets for research projects and generate progress reports.

This is an onsite work arrangement.

How to Apply

• Include a scientific writing sample (e.g., abstract, course assignment, article)
• Attach your CV and transcript to your SSuRe program application
• Indicate retinoblastoma.research@sickkids.ca as the email of the lab/supervisor you're applying to
• Submit your completed application form

Application Deadline

March 31, 2026

The SSuRe Program runs two research summer student-specific orientation sessions in May prior to the commencement of the program’s curricular activities — in the first and last week of May. Orientation includes a welcome address from our SSuRe Program committee chairs, information about clinical research services and research ethics, fire safety training, and occupational health services, including your occupational health appointment. You’ll get auto enrolled into the appropriate session, depending on your start date.

You’ll also get priority access to lab safety training sessions. The first sessions are held over the second week of May and the second sessions are held over the first week of June. 

If your start date does not correspond with these orientation and training dates—no problem! You’ll just attend the usual SickKids’ orientation and training, and we’ll post the orientation slides on our internal summer program pages. 

Each week, a leading SickKids scientist provides a dynamic, engaging talk intended to teach you something about a different area of research happening in the hospital and research institute. By the end of the summer, you'll have a better understanding and appreciation of the key roles basic and clinical research have in advancing our knowledge of human health and disease.  

This year, the program will also run skills-focused seminars such as “How to write effective abstracts and create winning posters”, “How to effectively present your research” and “Creative writing”. These seminars will teach you how to present your research in a clear, engaging and inspiring manner. You will learn best practices for writing strong abstracts and gain design tips and software recommendations for creating dynamic and visually appealing posters. You will receive hands-on training and expert guidance which will help you develop the confidence to present and discuss your work.

Wondering what you might do with your science degree? 

Come to Career Night to meet and network with current and SickKids Research Institute individuals who work in a variety of science careers. Learn about what they do, how they got there, and how they balance their work and home lives.   

Symposium Day gives you the full conference experience! You will submit an abstract, create a poster, present your work, and network with colleagues and scientists.

All non-graduate research summer students at SickKids are invited to participate. The top abstract from each of the seven Research Institute programs will be chosen and the author will be invited to give an oral presentation at the Symposium. From these presentations, the top three will be given a prize. Those who are not chosen to give an oral presentation will be invited to present for the poster competition. The top poster presenter/s from each Research Institute program will also receive a prize.

Symposium Day will be held on Thursday, August 13, 2026.

The SSuRe program is grateful for support from the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) for underrepresented undergraduates to pursue summer internship opportunities at SickKids. IBRO has provided full funding for five eligible students in summer positions in neuroscience and brain research to support their career development. The SSuRe program has partnered with the Neuroscience and Mental Health program and the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Brain and Mental Health to ensure IBRO funded summer students receive specialized opportunities to network with scientists and health professionals in neurosciences and mental health and engage in seminars and workshops that display advances in research and patient care. 

The SSuRe Program began a partnership with the Community of Support Research Application Support Initiative (COS-RASI) at the University of Toronto to help support students who are Indigenous, Black, Filipino, economically disadvantaged, or who self-identify as disabled. This program targets students who are interested in finding summer positions in health science research to help support their career development in the field of medicine. The partnership includes support in applying to centralized positions, mentorship opportunities and access to all SSuRe Program initiatives.  

The Opportunity Summer Studentship will be awarded to top-ranked applicants to the COS-RASI program. For more information, visit the COS-RASI page on the University of Toronto website.

The SSuRe Program provides $2,000 for up to 35 SickKids Research Institute scientists to support Research Summer Student salaries. The funding is generously provided from the Lunenfeld Summer Studentship and awarded directly to the scientists. The deadline for scientists to apply is January 31, 2026.

Research Summer Students supported by this funding will be required to participate in Symposium Day by submitting and abstract and presenting a poster/oral presentation.  Your hiring scientist will let you know if you are a Lunenfeld Studentship funded student.  

BioCanRx Summer Studentships provide funding for undergraduate and college students to gain work experience in the Canadian cancer biotherapeutics research sector. This funding opportunity is open to undergraduates and college students attending Canadian institutions, and to BioCanRx network investigators. Note – at the time of the application deadline, students must have found an investigator to work with. The deadline to apply is February 13, 2026.

To learn more about this opportunity and to apply, please visit the BioCanRx Summer Student Internship Site.

The BioCanRx Indigenous Student Summer Internship Program provides Indigenous undergraduate university or college students with meaningful hands-on research or policy experience in cancer-related projects at post-secondary institutions across Canada. The program aims to promote and strengthen Indigenous students’ participation in cancer research, policy, and careers by providing networking, mentorship, and hands-on, practical experience opportunities. The deadline to apply is February 13, 2026. To learn more about this opportunity and to apply, please visit the BioCanRx Indigenous Student Summer Internship Site.

The SickKids First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Summer Studentship provides a full 15-week full-time summer student stipend (approximately $9,000) to three incoming SickKids summer students who are First Nations, Métis or Inuit. The deadline for students to apply is February 27, 2026.

Apply on SlideRoom

For external funding information, please visit the Award Explorer page on the University of Toronto's website.

Yes, non-degree students are eligible to apply to Research Summer Student positions, if they resume their undergraduate program in the fall. See eligibility criteria above. 

Students in their final year of high school and entering a college or university undergraduate program in the fall following the SSuRe program are eligible for Research Summer Student positions. For example, a student graduating high school in June 2026 and starting an undergraduate college/university program in September 2026 will be eligible to apply for the 2026 SSuRe program. 

Yes, as long as you have applied to, or have been accepted into, a research degree program in the fall following the SSuRe Program, you are eligible to apply to Research Summer Student positions.  

No, you are not eligible to be hired as a Research Summer Student. However, you may be eligible to be hired into a different research student or research staff position. Please contact the scientist(s) you are interested in working with to see if they have any open research student opportunities available. 

Yes, international students are eligible to apply to the program. The international students and their respective hiring labs are responsible for ensuring that the proper immigration documentation is in place. Students must be living in Ontario during their summer placement. 

The SSuRe Program activities officially start at the beginning of May and run for 15 weeks until Symposium Day, which is held in mid-August. Depending on how much later you can begin work, this may not be enough time for you to conduct sufficient research for your abstract presentation on Symposium Day.   

Most students will begin on the first day of the SSuRe Program and will have ample time to work on their projects, which may put you at a disadvantage when submitting your abstract for Symposium Day. Please consider this before applying to the program. Please contact the scientist(s) you are interested in working with to ask if they would be willing to accept your application under these circumstances.  

If you are a medical student, your Research Summer Student position will begin June 1, or the first business day after June 1.  

We suggest that you limit your applications to five researchers. Send your applications to those you are most interested in and best suit your interests. View a list of SickKids researchers.  

If a scientist’s name is no longer on the SSuRe Program website, they are no longer accepting applications for a Research Summer Student. They are either conducting interviews or have already selected a student. 

The SickKids Research Volunteer Program is entirely separate from the SickKids Summer Research Program (SSuRe). All SSuRe students must be paid at least minimum wage plus vacation.  

Yes! Please see applying to positions above. 

All summer students are required, as a condition of employment/placement to:

• provide acceptable documentation of TB surveillance
• provide acceptable proof of immunity against Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella (Chicken Pox)

All summer students are strongly recommended to: 

• provide documentation of Hepatitis B immune status
• provide documentation of most recent tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis immunization
• provide documentation of most recent annual influenza vaccine

Yes! We suggest that you limit your applications to five researchers.

All SSuRe program activities (orientation, seminars, career day, and symposium) are expected to take place in-person. A hybrid format may be used for some seminars and workshops. Please keep an eye on this page for any updates.

Depending on your summer project, you may be working onsite or remotely to conduct your research. Please connect with your supervisor for more information.

You'll need to discuss remote work arrangements with your supervisor(s). Please note, summer students working remotely must be located within Ontario to connect to the SickKids network. 

If you do not have university transcripts available, one from high school would be acceptable. First semester marks or mid-term marks are also acceptable, if available from your institution. 

If you do not have a transcript from your current year, one from your previous year would be acceptable (i.e. you are in third year but send second year marks).

Yes. A reference should be from someone who can best speak to your past or current work/academic experience and relevant skills.  If you are unsure whether a letter from a particular individual would be appropriate, please contact the researcher(s) you wish to apply to for clarification. 

This is at the discretion of each researcher. Please contact the researcher(s) in advance of submitting a full application to ask. 

You may address your reference letter to: SickKids Hiring Manager. 

Due to the number of applications scientists receive each year, only those applicants who are selected for an interview will be contacted by the hiring labs. If you have not heard about your application by the end of April, you likely have not been selected.  

No enrollment necessary! Once you’ve been offered a Research Summer Student position, you’ll complete the onboarding package sent to you. From there, we’ll auto-enroll you onto our SSuRe Program newsletter mailing list—so make sure you check the email you provide in the RTC Registry!  If you have any questions during the onboarding process, please reach out to the person who coordinated your interview or provided your onboarding package. 

Due to the volume of applications received by each researcher, only applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted. We suggest you wait until after the application deadline to inquire with the researcher or their hiring manager. If you haven't heard back by early April, it is likely that the position has been filled.  

Please complete the SSuRe program application form and attach your cover letter, CV/resume, transcript(s) and your referee’s contact information when applying to SSuRe program positions. You do not need to send a separate email to the researcher.