Fellowships and Studentship opportunities
Fellowship and studentship opportunities that are designed to support learners and clinicians in their pursuit of developing research expertise in paediatric brain and mental health.
Integrative Research Training Fellowship Program
This fellowship program is designed to support advanced fellows in developing new research expertise in a complementary discipline, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to brain and mental health research. It provides advanced training through a cross-disciplinary research experience that builds on the applicant’s existing expertise. Fellows work with supervisors from complementary fields to develop new skills and pursue innovative research questions.
Eligibility criteria
- Open to applicants whose research spans brain and/or mental health-related disciplines and demonstrates a clear cross-disciplinary training component.
- Applicants must work with supervisors from complementary fields, at least one of whom holds a SickKids Research Institute (RI) appointment.
- Proposed training must reflect meaningful integration across disciplines. Examples of eligible cross-disciplinary training include:
- A neurologist or neurosurgeon training in a psychology lab
- A PhD social worker training in psychiatry
- A neuroscientist training in a brain imaging lab or psychiatry
Funding
Salary support is provided for the duration of the fellowship.
How to apply
Applications are submitted through CSTP or Restracomp through the Research Training Centre.
Application timeline
Annual fall competition.
Garry Hurvitz Centre for Brain & Mental Health Studentship Funding
This studentship is designed to increase access to neuroscience and mental health research training for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds, while supporting supervisors in fostering inclusive and equitable research environments. Students are embedded in brain and mental health research environments, gaining hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to interdisciplinary research. The initiative aims to expand participation in research by supporting trainees who may face barriers to accessing research-intensive opportunities.
Eligibility criteria
- Identify as part of an underrepresented group.
- Be enrolled in a non-research-intensive university or college.
- Participate in a project aligned with brain and/or mental health research.
- Participate in the SickKids Summer Research (SSuRe) program.
- Recruit eligible undergraduate students for summer research placements.
Funding
How to apply
- For supervisors: Contact the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Brain & Mental Health team for information.
- For students: Secure an eligible supervisor before applying.
Application timeline
- Program runs during the summer through SSuRe.
- Funding for 2027 is allocated on a rolling basis and will close once the funding cap has been reached.
Clinical Academic Fellowship
The Garry Hurvitz Centre for Brain & Mental Health (GH-CBMH) Clinical Academic Fellowship is designed for clinicians who are passionate about combining high-quality clinical care in paediatric brain and mental health with research and academic career development. This fellowship offers clinicians protected time to develop research expertise and undertake a pilot project or academic training, while continuing clinical training.
Fellowship structure
- 60% clinical responsibilities
- 40% research project or academic training
Eligibility criteria
- Applicants from any regulated health care profession may apply.
- Applicants must identify a primary supervisor, who may serve as both the clinical and academic supervisor, and a secondary supervisor or mentor from a different discipline or area of expertise relevant to the fellowship. The secondary supervisor is intended to support the interdisciplinary nature of the fellowship, with part of their clinical or research experience focused on exploring a field outside the fellow’s primary area of training or practice.
- All supervisor(s) must be employed at SickKids, with at least one holding a research institute appointment at SickKids (Project Investigator appointments are eligible).
- Applicants are not eligible to apply if they already hold funding for the fellowship period (e.g., Garry Hurvitz Cetre for Brain & Mental Health Integrative Fellowships, other fellowship funding).
- Applicants and supervisor(s) must be registered with Garry Hurvitz Cetre for Brain & Mental Health members to be considered for the award.
Application timeline
Applications are closed for the 2026 cycle.
Brain & Mental Health Innovation fund
This fellowship is designed to train the next generation of clinician-investigators in paediatric brain medicine through an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to complex brain disorders affecting children and youth. This is a one-year, competency-based fellowship offered within the Azrieli Brain Medicine Fellowship Program (2027–28 cohort, starting July 2027).
Fellowship structure
- 80% clinical training
- 20% academic or research project
Eligibility criteria
- Open to Canadian and international medical graduates who have completed postgraduate training in paediatrics or a related subspecialty (including child and adolescent psychiatry, paediatric neurology, or paediatric neurosurgery).
- All training must be completed prior to the fellowship start date (July 2027).
- Applicants must secure a SickKids-based supervisor and meet all application requirements; incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered.
Application timeline
- Application deadline: September 11th, 2026
- Program start: July 1st, 2027
For any questions or further inquiries, please email piyanka.sivarajah@sickkids.ca