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Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA)

Quality of Life Summer Studentships

Today, with the aging of our population, Musculoskeletal (MSK), oral and skin diseases have taken the lead in terms of their economic impact on society, costing taxpayers more than $22 billion per year. While these numbers are staggering, the toll on quality of life is immeasurable. Just think, musculoskeletal diseases and conditions are the most common cause of severe long-term pain and physical disability and, in the USA alone, account for more than 131 million visits to healthcare providers. As a result, we have an urgent need to build research capacity in MSK, oral, and skin research by increasing the number of young investigators who are keen to take up this challenge.

With this in mind, The Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) is pleased to announce the creation of its "Quality of Life Summer Studentship Program" - a new initiative that recognizes the extraordinary scientific insight and preliminary research of young Canadians - and will give you, the prospective summer student, the opportunity to pursue your science more intensively in collaboration with top professional researchers in the field.

One of 13 Institutes of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, IMHA is committed to attracting a new generation of top-quality investigators to musculoskeletal, oral and skin research. IMHA wants to give two talented high school students the chance to experience first-hand what it's like to work in a vibrant health research setting with a mentor. To do this, IMHA will make its team of researchers, at approved Canadian universities and institutions across the country, available to two winning high-school students. Working with a researcher at this early stage of your career will have a profound and long-lasting impact - and hopefully entice you to pursue a lifetime's worth of research in the area of musculoskeletal, oral and skin research.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a summer studentship, you must:

Be enrolled in grade 11 or 12 at a Canadian high school;
Submit a science project to the Canada-Wide Science Fair that addresses research in any of IMHA's three strategic research priorities--i) Pain, Disability and Chronic Diseases; ii) Tissue Injury, Repair and Replacement; iii) Physical activity, Mobility and Health--and any of its six research foci--arthritis, MSK rehabilitation, bone-mineralized tissue, skeletal muscle, skin or oral health;
Ensure that you have indicated that you are interested in being considered for IMHA's Summer Studentship program when you submit your project;
Be prepared, if selected as an IMHA award winner, to present a poster of your work at an appropriate research conference sponsored by IMHA (travel costs covered by IMHA);
Be responsible for arranging for your own food, accommodations, and personal expenses if travel is required to the location of your summer Mentor (with the assistance of YSF if required).

Compensation

Each student will receive $3,750 over the course of a three month term (to be determined by the student and Mentor). Each student must arrange for her/his own food, accommodations and personal expenses if travel is required (the cost of a single round trip to and from the host university/institution will be covered).

Evaluation

The project will be evaluated for its relevance to IMHA fields of research, and be held to the highest standards of excellence set by the CWSF program. An IMHA representative will be included on the judging panel. Senior students who have qualified for the Canada-Wide Science Fair may nominate their project for the IMHA Quality of Life Summer Studentship Program as part of the online registration process.

Created: 2006-02-27
Modified: 2006-02-27
Reviewed: 2006-02-27
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