• Supporting and building capacity for Master’s or PhD graduate students in the principles and practice of patient-oriented research;
• Providing patient oriented research activities to develop capacity through a multi-disciplinary approach for all stakeholders including students, primary research supervisors, patients and community team members;
• Creating opportunities for students to engage with stakeholders to work closely together from conceptualization of research questions to dissemination and implementation of results at the practice and community levels.

Studentships have been awarded over the past six years to applicants from diverse backgrounds who have proposed a variety of interesting projects within patient-oriented research. Studentships are open to individuals who:

• Are enrolled in, or accepted to, a graduate program at one of Alberta’s CARUs: University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge, Athabasca University.
• Are in, or entering, any year graduate program, but have not yet undertaken their thesis defence, and will not undertake their thesis defence during the award period.
• Clearly articulate that their proposed project meaningfully does or will do all of the following:
  • Engage patients (and providers) as partners in a manner appropriate to the research
  • Address patient-identified health priorities;
  • Aim to improve patient outcomes.