Master's Training for Medical Students (M.D.-M.Sc.) / 2019-2020

Eligible applicants

• Applicants with an undergraduate or graduate university degree
• Applicants who hold a diploma of a college studies and have earned at least 90 course credits in a university program

Applications from individuals holding a college diploma but who have not accumulated 90 course credits in a university program must be validated by the faculty of medicine in a letter of recommendation from the dean.

• Canadian citizens or permanent residents domiciled in Québec (as defined in the Common General Rules, art. 2.1)
• Canadian citizens or permanent residents that did not reside in Québec previously OR individuals who are not currently Canadian citizens or permanent residents are eligible to submit an application for training awards under certain conditions (see section 2.1 of the Common General Rules).

Citizenship and residency in Québec status must remain in effect for the entire duration of the award.

• Individuals must be enrolled:

in a regular undergraduate medical program in a Québec university

and simultaneously, in a regular research master’s program (M.Sc.) and whose research project is directly concerned with human health within a structured MD-M.Sc. program recognized by the FRQS in that Québec university.

• Submit a research project that can be completed within a maximum of 2 years (M.Sc.).

• To be considered “a research program,” the master’s program must consist of a minimum of 18 credits dedicated to research and lead to the writing of a Master’s thesis.

• The research project can be carried out in blocks of 2 to 4 non-consecutive months or can be incorporated in the MD program. Awardees are not obliged to interrupt their medical studies.

• Individuals must be supervised by a university researcher or clinical university researcher (as defined in the Definitions section of the Common General Rules ) 

Basic research ethics training is mandatory for all FRQS awardees conducting research projects that involve human beings.

Research on human beings involves:

• Participation of human beings
• Use of human biological materials (parts, products, tissue, cells, genetic materials, derived from a living or dead individual)
• Assisted procreation activities or the use of human embryos derived therefrom, within the meaning of the Act respecting clinical and research activities relating to assisted procreation (CQLR c. A-5.01)
• The use of administrative, scientific or descriptive data from human participants

Awardees must therefore successfully complete levels 1 and 3 of the Online Tutorial in Research Ethics developed by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.

This training must be completed within one year of the date of confirmation by the FRQS that the award was granted.

The FRQS encourages awardees to follow a one-credit research ethics training course in addition to the mandatory basic research ethics training, whenever possible.

Documents sent via mail or e-mail will not be accepted

Transmission via the FRQS electronic Portfolio only

Any missing document or document that is not in conformity with the program rules and forms may result in the ineligibility of the funding application.

No extension will be permitted. After the application deadline, forms that are not already submitted will be automatically rejected.

IMPORTANT : Once the application is submitted, it will no longer be possible to modify it.

• Canadian Common CV, Funding CV version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2016);

• Detailed contributions updated since June 2016 (attachment required through the FRQS Electronic Portfolio on the Canadian Common CV page), consult the document entitled Guidelines for the CV attachment in the Toolbox

• Electronic application form : Formation de maîtrise pour les étudiants en médecine (M.D.-M.Sc.)
  PDF version – for information
• A copy of official academic transcripts for all university courses taken, whether completed or not.

Academic transcripts must be complete and include grading scales (at the back of the transcript), for candidates from Québec as well as for candidates outside of Québec.

For transcripts from institutions located outside North America, the applicant must include a note explaining the institution’s marking system

• Copies of all awards, honours and distinction notices, including FRQS awards

• Acknowledgements from publishers for articles submitted or accepted for publication

• Only applicants who have not earned 90 course credits in an university  program must submit a letter of recommendation from the dean of the faculty of medicine.

For individuals with a Canadian citizenship or permanent residency and domiciled in Québec :

• a copy of a valid Quebec health insurance card OR evidence of eligibility to the RAMQ (official RAMQ document before the issuance of the card)

For individuals with a Canadian citizenship or permanent residency and domiciled in a province other than Québec :

• an official document confirming that the individual lived in Québec on a regular and daily basis for at least six months within the seven months preceding the submission deadline of the competition  (see the list of accepted documentation in the Toolbox)

AND

• a proof of application, registration or admission to a Québec university at the time of the application submission

For individuals without a Canadian citizenship or permanent residency:

• an official document confirming that the individual lived in Québec on a regular and daily basis for at least six months within the seven months preceding the submission deadline of the competition (see the list of accepted documentation in the Toolbox)

AND

• a proof of application, registration or admission to a Québec university at the time of the application submission.

Candidates will be notified of the reception of their application and of their eligibility via email by the month of November at the latest.

• Canadian Common CV, Funding CV version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2016);

• Detailed contributions updated since June 2016 (attachment required through the FRQS Electronic Portfolio on the Canadian Common CV page), consult the document entitled Guidelines for the CV attachment in the Toolbox

• Supervisor’s (and if applicable, co-supervisor’s) electronic form
  PDF version – for information

To start the second year of the award , the awardee will have to provide:

• a confirmation from the supervisor indicating that the student is still under his/her supervision (by email)
• ethics training certificates (levels 1 and 3), if applicable (by email in a single PDF document)

A recognized research establishment in Québec

Awardees must complete their research training in the physical location of the host institution. Distance learning is not allowed.

The awardees who wish to change their research project, supervisor, program or training location must submit to the FRQS the Change of research project, supervisor or training location form (see Toolbox,) and the required documents in a single PDF file.

May 2019 (Summer term), September 2019 (Fall term) or January 2020 (Winter term) according to the starting date of the study program

If the study program is already in progress in May 2019, the award should begin in May 2019, with some exceptions.

2 years or until the completion of the awardee’s master’s studies (final submission of the thesis), whichever the earliest, non-renewable.

The awardee may benefit from an award payment deferral during parental leave (maternity, paternity or adoption) for a maximum period of 12 months as described in section 6.13 of the Common General Rules.

Awardees must fill out the Award payment deferral form, accompanied by the documents supporting the leave, to inform the FRQS of their intention to receive a supplement to their award for a parental leave.

The FRQS reserves the right to reject any request that is not properly justified.

The FRQS reserves the right to reject any request that is not properly justified.

$17,500/year* for 2 years of full-time research enrollment

*except in some cases (see the section Awards in partnership)

One new award per year, per university.

Exceptionally two awards, if no application for the M.D.-Ph.D. program is submitted by the university.

The awardee is responsible for paying the income tax due on the amounts received from the FRQS. The FRQS does not make any deductions on the amounts disbursed during the taxation year.

The payment date determines the year in which the awardee must declare the amounts received as income for personal tax calculations.

Revenue Canada’s T4A form and Revenue Québec’s Relevé 1will be sent to the awardee’s mailing address (the one specified in the Module My funding (Gérer mon financement) in the FRQS Electronic Portfolio) in February of the following year of taxation.

The details provided in these program rules are for information purposes only. The FRQS is not responsible for the validity of any income tax information.

This program does not benefit from the amount paid out by FRQS to cover indirect costs of research of the institutions.

Awardees may accept additional funding from the institution or their research supervisor.

Holding several scholarships is not allowed.

• Awardees who obtained an award from another public agency or a foundation recognized by the FRQS must notify the FRQS and decline the FRQS funding as soon as the award is offered. However, if the amount of the other award is lower than the one given by the FRQS, the awardee is eligible to receive the difference.
• Holders of a FRQS award having applied for and obtained a scholarship for a higher cycle from one of the three Fonds de recherche du Québec are free to determine when they want to start their higher-level scholarship.

However, if the amount of the other award is lower than the one given by the FRQS, the awardee is eligible to receive the difference.

Note : previously under the responsibility of each university

Excellence of academic record
– Global academic record: rating, progression and continuity
– Awards, honours and distinctions

A final report is required at the end of the payment of the award, approximately one month following the last funded term. Award holders are notified by email of the availability of the form to be completed in their FRQS electronic portfolio. It is required to fill out and submit this form with respect to the mentioned deadline. Further funding in other FRQS programs is conditional to the reception of the duly completed report.

• Comply with the obligations outlined in the Common General Rules of the three Fonds and in the Policy Regarding Open Access to Published Research Outputs as well as with the conditions and requirements outlined in the electronic form and program rules.

• Comply with the ethics and integrity standards outlined in the FRQS document Standards en éthique de la recherche et d’intégrité scientifique and in the Policy for the Responsible Conduct of Research of the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

• Authorize the FRQS to retain and use the personal and scientific information included in the application documents, in keeping with the terms outlined in the document Énoncé relatif à la protection des renseignements personnels et confidentiels des dossiers des candidats, candidates et titulaires d’un octroi and provided that the people who are granted access to the information respect its confidentiality.

The supervisor and co-supervisor must:

• Oversee the awardee’s work and provide the awardee with the material and financial means necessary to carry out the research project.

• Comply with the ethics and integrity standards outlined in the FRQS document Standards en éthique de la recherche et d’intégrité scientifique and in the Policy for the Responsible Conduct of Research of the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

• Ensure that the awardee also complies with them.

The FRQS offers a number of awards in collaboration with partners. The financial contribution of FRQS and the partner as well as other funding conditions (i.e. funding period and renewal option) may vary according to the agreements in effect.

Eligible applicants are selected through a three-step process:

1. Applicants must select by priority order, one or more partners whose research areas are in line with the themes of their application in order of preference (see section Partenariats [partnerships] on the form).

2. The FRQS sends the partners a list of applications for relevancy review based on their interests and research priorities.

3. Applications are then reviewed by the regular FRQS committees of experts or peers. Applications with a scientific excellence score of at least 70% and also relevant to one or more partners may be considered for funding in partnership.

Like all other FRQS awards, the awards in partnership are granted based on merit following a scientific evaluation by a committee of experts or peers.

The Jacques de Champlain Award in Cardiovascular Health and Hypertension fields includes a research support supplement (maximum of $10,000 per year).