The Canadian Institutes of Health Research have committed to enhancing public and stakeholder engagement in health research in Canada. One of the mechanisms to accomplish this goal is through inviting community reviewers to sit on CIHR's Peer Review panels. By community reviewers (or lay reviewers), we mean individuals who are not currently academics or researchers, but who have a demonstrated interest in health and science. The peer review committees for the main CIHR competition (the Operating Grants competition) are composed of roughly 5 to 12 leading health researchers in approximately 50 fields of health research (more information on the mandate of each committee can be found on the Peer Review Committees and Mandate page). Twice a year, the committees meet to discuss health research proposals submitted by Canadian scientists and, in some cases, their international collaborators. CIHR helps support over 10,000 health researchers.
CIHR is seeking applications, from members of the public who are interested in serving as community reviewers (lay reviewers) on CIHR's peer review committees. This involvement enhances accountability and transparency of the peer review process.
We are seeking applications from a range of individuals, such as: practitioners and/or volunteers who work with various health research or health care providing organizations, business leaders, policy makers, program administrators, care givers, and individuals that work in such insitutions as the media or education.
The community reviewer's role is to:
We ask that all individuals who wish to be a community reviewer obtain a nominating organization.
The criteria that will be considered in selecting community reviewers include:
Community reviewers will not receive any formal science training, but they will be given a thorough orientation in what to expect when they meet with the scientists at the panel meeting.
Neither scientific reviewers, nor community reviewers receive remuneration for this work, but all economy transportation, hotel, food expenses necessary for participating in the review panel meetings are paid by CIHR.
CIHR will consider applications from individuals who are nominated by an individual or an organization interested in health research.
Note: Electronic submission of the application form through CIHR Web Forms is not supported at this time, though your information will be kept on file and you will not have to reapply once the electronic submission process is functional.
For assistance on the application process, contact Andrea Wilson at 613-948-2753 or awilson@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
For general technical assistance, contact the CIHR Help Desk by phone at
