Making the Health System Impact Fellowship Program* Better: Supporting
New Leaders in Health Care with the National Cohort Training Program
Scientific Study Title:
Enhancing a Community of Practice** for the Health System Impact Fellowship Program: Advancing Capacity for Sustainable & Patient-Centred Learning Health Systems across Canada
Study Start Date:
July 2022
End Date:
June 2025
Why Do This Research?
Our National Cohort Training Program supports the Health System Impact Fellows across Canada by creating a strong community where they can connect, learn, and collaborate with each other. This will help them modify healthcare systems to better meet the changing needs of healthcare. We provide tools, training and networking opportunities for this community of practice, benefiting healthcare in Canada.
What Will be done?
Our goal is to create a strong community of practice (COP) for the Health System Impact Fellows to continue to change healthcare systems to better meet the needs of Canadians.
To achieve this, we will:
1. Provide tools and learning opportunities to empower the community in updating national learning systems (programs).
2. Establish regular networking events to allow the members to share ideas and information.
3. Lay a foundation for the community’s long-term existence within Canada’s Health Services and Policy Research area.
Who Is Involved?
A variety of Health System Impact Fellowship stakeholders are involved in this research including doctoral and postdoctoral fellows, each of whom are co-supervised by one academic mentor and one health system leader.
How do people get involved?
Apply to the CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship program here.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
We recognize the inherent structural and systemic challenges faced by certain members of our society within academia. We can make a difference by meaningfully engaging with and incorporating feedback from HSIF NCTP fellows and alumni who may belong to one or more social groups traditionally underrepresented in doctoral and post-doctoral studies or experiential learning opportunities. For example, we conduct quarterly evaluations on our training sessions and seek input during these interactive sessions.
Research Team
Principal Investigator:
Deborah A. Marshall, PhD, Senior Scientist, Health Services Research and Health Economics, Arthritis Research Canada (University of Calgary)
Co-Principal Investigators:
Stirling Bryan,
Malcolm Doupe,
Natasha Gallant,
Elena Lopatina,
Kiran Manhas Pohar,
Kimberley McGrail,
Tom Noseworthy,
Deepa Singal,
Tracy Wasylak,
Sandra Zelinsky
Co-Investigators:
Iwona A Bielska,
Marcia Bruce,
Ivy Cheng,
Jawad Chishtie,
Celine Cressman,
Greta Cummings,
Gillian Currie,
Clayton Hamilton, et al.
Funding Agency
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
*The Health System Impact Fellowship Program is an initiative of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research that “provides highly qualified PhD trainees, postdoctoral researchers, and (new!) early career researchers in health services and policy research/related fields with the opportunity to develop existing research projects/programs that address the most pressing problems faced by health system organizations and to support evidence-informed decision-making.” Find out more about this program at https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/51211.html
** A community of practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or an interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals.1