Peer Review Committees and Mandates - Fellowships

CIHR Fellowships are provided to trainees (i.e. PhD holders, Health Professionals and Allied Health Professionals) wishing to perform research or proceed to a graduate degree.

The evaluation of Fellowship applications focuses on the applicant's track record, characteristics and abilities as well as the research proposal and environment/support.

Applications are assigned to one of the five multi-disciplinary committees described below based on the following1:

  • the degrees that the applicant will hold as their proposed award start date;
  • the applicant's licensure status as of the application deadline (if applicable);
  • the scientific area of the proposed research activitiesFootnote *.

Allied Health Professionals (FAH)

This committee reviews Fellowship award applications from licensed Allied Health Professionals (who may or may not hold a PhD degree) and non-licensed Allied Health Professionals who do not hold a PhD degree, to assess the applicant's potential as a prospective independent investigator in biomedical, clinical, health services and/or social, cultural, environmental and population health research.

Note: Allied Health Professionals exclude medical doctors (MD), doctors of veterinary medicine (DVM) and doctors of dental science (DDS).

Health Professional Awards (FHP)

This committee reviews Fellowship award applications from licensed Health Professionals (who may or may not hold a PhD degree) and non-licensed Health Professionals who do not hold a PhD degree, to assess the applicant's potential as a prospective independent investigator in biomedical and/or clinical research.

Note: Health Professionals only include medical doctors (MD), doctors of veterinary medicine (DVM) and doctors of dental science (DDS).

Fellowships – Post-PhD (FPP)

This committee reviews Fellowship award applications from PhD holders, non-licensed Health Professionals who hold a PhD degree and non-licensed Allied Health Professionals who hold a PhD degree, to assess the applicant's potential as a prospective independent investigator in biomedical and/or clinical research.. Applicants applying for Post-PhD funding who have not yet received their doctorate degree would be placed under this committee.

Health Research Training A – Post-PhD (HTA)

This committee reviews Fellowship award applications from PhD holders to assess the applicant's potential as a prospective independent investigator in health services research and/or social, cultural, environmental and population health research.

Health Research Training B (HTB)

This committee reviews Fellowship award applications from licensed and/or non-licensed Health Professionals, who may or may not hold a PhD degree and for non-licensed Allied Health Professionals holding a PhD degree, to assess the applicant's potential as a prospective independent investigator in health services and/or social, cultural, environmental and population health research.

Note: Health Professionals only include medical doctors (MD), doctors of veterinary medicine (DVM) and doctors of dental science (DDS). Allied Health Professionals include all other CIHR-Eligible health professions.

Figure 1. Applications assignment to one of the five Fellowship committees

Figure 1 long description

Applications are assigned to a specific committee based on the following: the theme of the proposed research activities; the applicant’s educational background at the time of taking up the award; and the applicant’s licensure status, if applicable, at the time of the competition’s application deadline date. Text version below.

Allied Health Professionals (FAH):

  • Research Theme:
    • All Four Themes
  • Applicant’s Background & Licensure:
    • Licensed AHP (with or without PhD); or
    • Non-licensed AHP (without PhD)

Health Professional Awards (FHP):

  • Research Theme:
    • Biomedical / Clinical Research
  • Applicant’s Background & Licensure:
    • Licensed HP (with or without PhD); or
    • Non-licensed HP (without PhD)

Fellowships - Post-PhD (FPP):

  • Research Theme:
    • Biomedical / Clinical Research
  • Applicant’s Background & Licensure:
    • PhD holder; or
    • Non-licensed
      • HP (with PhD)
      • AHP (with PhD)

Health Research Training A - Post-PhD (HTA):

  • Research Theme:
    • Health Services Research / Social, Cultural, Environmental and Population Health
  • Applicant’s Background & Licensure:
    • PhD holders

Health Research Training B - AHP/HP (HTB):

  • Research Theme:
    • Health Services Research / Social, Cultural, Environmental and Population Health
  • Applicant’s Background & Licensure:
    • Licensed or non-licensed HP (with and without PhD); or
    • Non-licensed AHP (with PhD)

CIHR Contact: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

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