Call for Applications to the Fall 2024 Reviewer in Training Program

The CIHR Reviewer in Training (RiT) Program runs twice a year during the Spring and Fall Project Grant Competitions. It offers ECRs a learning opportunity to gain a better understanding of the elements of high-quality review and the peer review process. RiT applicants have the choice of selecting between the role of Mentee or ECR Reviewer when they apply:

Note: RiT Mentee and ECR Reviewer applicants are free to take on other CIHR peer review activities that are outside of the CIHR Project Grant competition. Should you accept both RiT and another peer review committee invitation, you will be responsible for managing both commitments accordingly. Please review Updates for the Fall 2024 Project Grant competition and note that CIHR will continue the use of virtual peer review, via Microsoft Teams, in this Project Grant competition.

Apply as a Mentee

Mentees participate in the Project Grant competition with the support of a Mentor. They conduct practice reviews on up to three applications, attend the peer review meeting in full, present one review, and participate in the committee discussions. To learn more, refer to the RiT Program webpage. Approximately 120 Mentees spots are available to be selected by lottery, which represents up to two opportunities per Project Grant Program committee.

Important dates

Dates Events
August 6, 2024 Application deadline to the Fall 2024 RiT Program
September 11, 2024 Application deadline for the Project Grant Competition
September 26, 2024 Results deadline for the Fall 2024 RiT Program
November 13 – December 12, 2024 Project Grant committee meetings (individual committee meeting dates to be confirmed with each participant, typically held between 10am-5pm).

Eligibility

  • Must meet CIHR's definition of an ECR on the application deadline for the Project Grant Competition (September 11, 2024);
  • Must be working at a Canadian institution on the application deadline for the Project Grant Competition (September 11, 2024);
  • Must not have previously participated in the RiT Program;
  • Must not have previously reviewed for CIHR's Project Grant competition; and
  • Must not be a Full College Member.

Note: Candidates who are submitting applications as a Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) or Principal Applicant (PA) in the current Project Grant competition are eligible for this opportunity. However, they will not be selected for a committee that is adjudicating their submission.

How to apply

To express your interest in participating as a Mentee in this RiT Program, please click "Apply Online" below to fill out an application by August 6, 2024, 23:59 Eastern time.

Step 1

Collect the following before completing the application:

  • Your CIHR PIN (if known);
  • A PDF of your biosketch Common CV (draft CCVs are not accepted);
  • A recent letter from your institution attesting that you meet the CIHR's definition of an ECR; and
  • A ranked list of up to two peer review committees* – for which you have the appropriate expertise to review – and in which you would like to participate.

Note: Eligibility for the Indigenous Health Research (IHR) committee is limited to Indigenous Researchers and those with experience in Indigenous Health Research.

Step 2

Apply online

All submissions will receive an acknowledgement email within 5 business days confirming receipt of the application.

Step 3

Complete your Reviewer Profile along with the new Self-identification Questionnaire in ResearchNet within 5 business days of receiving the acknowledgement email. Your application may not be considered without a completed Reviewer Profile. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that their application is complete.

Please consult the FAQ for help in completing the Self-identification Questionnaire. Application information submitted for this opportunity will be retained and may be shared with other areas of CIHR for consideration in similar opportunities.

All individuals who express their interest will be informed of the results by September 26, 2024. Upon receiving the invitation, you will have 2 business days to accept. If a response is not received by this time, we will offer this opportunity to the next candidate. If you have any questions, please contact support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Apply as an ECR Reviewer

ECR Reviewers participate in the same capacity as regular reviewers and will have access to all of the supportive resources that CIHR provides to committee members. They will have a reduced number of applications to review (up to five) and be able to present their assigned applications later in the meeting. To learn more, refer to the RiT Program webpage. At least 1 ECR Reviewer will be selected per committee based on the expertise and eligibility of the applicants.

Important dates

Dates Events
August 6, 2024 Application deadline to the Fall 2024 RiT Program
September 11, 2024 Application deadline for the Project Grant Competition
September 26, 2024 Results deadline for the Fall 2024 RiT Program
November 13 – December 12, 2024 Project Grant committee meetings (individual committee meeting dates to be confirmed with each participant, typically held between 10am-5pm).

Eligibility

  • Must meet CIHR's definition of an ECR on the application deadline for the Project Grant Competition (September 11, 2024);
  • Must be working at a Canadian institution on the application deadline for the Project Grant Competition (September 11, 2024);
  • Must have at least one recent federally funded (or equivalent) peer reviewed grant as a Principal Investigator;
  • Must not have previously reviewed for CIHR's Project Grant competition; and
  • Must not have previously participated in the RiT Program as an ECR Reviewer (applicants who have previously participated as a Mentee and now meet ECR-Reviewer criteria are eligible to apply).

Note: Candidates who are submitting applications as a Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) or Principal Applicant (PA) in the current Project Grant competition are eligible for this opportunity. However, they will not be selected for committees that are adjudicating their submission.

How to apply

To express your interest in participating as an ECR Reviewer in this RiT Program, please click "Apply Online" below to fill out an application by August 6, 2024, 23:59 Eastern time.

Step 1

Collect the following before completing the application:

  • Your CIHR PIN (if known);
  • A PDF of your biosketch Common CV (draft CCVs are not accepted);
  • A recent letter from your institution attesting that you meet the CIHR's definition of an ECR; and
  • A ranked list of up to two peer review committees* – for which you have the appropriate expertise to review – and in which you would like to participate.

Note: Eligibility for the Indigenous Health Research (IHR) committee is limited to Indigenous Researchers and those with experience in Indigenous Health Research.

Step 2

Apply online

All submissions will receive an acknowledgement email within 5 business days of receipt of the application.

Step 3

Complete your Reviewer Profile along with the new Self-identification Questionnaire in ResearchNet within 5 business days of receiving the acknowledgement email.

It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that their application is complete. Please consult the FAQ for help in completing the Self-identification Questionnaire. Application information submitted for this opportunity will be retained and may be shared with other areas of CIHR for consideration in similar opportunities.

All individuals who express their interest will be informed of the results by September 26, 2024. Upon receiving the invitation, you will have 2 business days to accept. If a response is not received by this time, we will offer this opportunity to the next candidate. If you have any questions, please contact support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

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