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

Eligible applicants

To be eligible to apply, applicants must :

• Hold an undergraduate or graduate university degree
  OR
  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.

• be enrolled in a Québec university for at least two full-time trimesters (or equivalent) among the three trimesters preceding the competition deadline
  OR
  have a valid Régie d’assurance maladie du Québec (Québec Health Insurance Plan) (RAMQ) card or proof of eligibility for the RAMQ (see section 2.1 of the Common General Rules).

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.

  Master’s awards are intended for applicants who have been enrolled in a master’s research program, for one year or less (three terms or less) as of April 30^th, 2020.

  The number of enrolment terms is calculated from the first application date to a master’s program related to human health research.

• 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). 

A recognized research establishment in Québec 

• Students who suspended their master’s studies to take parental leave or because of serious illness or major family obligations may defer their eligibility period for up to one year.
• If the student is a person with disabilities in accordance with the Act ensuring handicapped persons their rights for academic, professional and social integration (L.R.C. chapter E-20-1), the rules pertaining to program registration do not apply.

• Professional master’s and doctoral programs are not eligible
• An individual who already holds a research master’s degree in the field of human health is not eligible to submit an application in this program.
• An individual who has received financial support from a recognized funding agency (e.g. SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, FRQNT, FRQS, FRQSC, etc.) over a period totaling six years (or 18 terms) cannot submit an application to the FRQS to undertake or pursue a master’s program (see section 6.1 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.

By October 15, 2019, 4:30 pm (EDT)

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

Letters of recommendation will not be accepted

Transmission via the FRQS electronic Portfolio only

• Canadian Common CV, Funding CV  version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2018)

• Detailed contributions updated since June 2018 (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.)/ Master’s training for medical students (MD-M.Sc.)
  PDF version – for information

• 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) (crucial for eligibility)
  • If the RAMQ card or a proof of eligibility to the RAMQ is not provided, please include a proof of registration at a Québec university for the fall trimester (crucial for eligibility).

• Copies of official academic transcripts (the unofficial electronic version is not accepted) for all years of university courses completed or not (crucial for eligibility and evaluation)

  • For a current program of study, the transcript must be the most recent. 

  • 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.

  • If no transcript is issued by the institution where the studies are pursued, an explanatory letter must be attached to the application.

• 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.

• Canadian Common CV, Funding CV version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2018)

• Detailed contributions updated since June 2018 (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

At the start date of the award and for each subsequent term, the awardee will have to provide:

• An official proof of registration from the Office of the Registrar in both programs : Master’s and Medicine (by e-mail, PDF document)

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)

May 2020 (Summer term), September 2020 (Fall term) or January 2021 (Winter term) according to the starting date of the master’s program.

If the master’s program is already in progress in May 2020, the award should begin in May 2020, 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.

Caregiver or Parent

This measure applies only to the award holder who acts as the caregiver for a close family member or for a person that is the main care provider for a young child.

During the terms that will be part-time, the awardee will receive 50 % of the value of the regular award installments.

The awardee will need to fill out the Part-time studies form and provide the following documents :

• a proof of part-time studies at the University
• a letter of support from the research supervisor
• a copy of the medical certificate (for caregiver) or the birth certificate or certificate of adoption of a child (parent)

If applicable, this can be cumulated with the benefits paid by the Parental Insurance Plan.

Person with disabilities

This measure applies only to a person with disabilities in accordance with the Act ensuring handicapped persons their rights for academic, professional and social integration (L.R.C. chapter E-20-1)

During the terms that will be part-time, the awardee will receive the full value of the regular award installments as long as the University authorizes the part-time studies of the individual.

The awardee will need to fill out the Part-time studies form and provide the following documents :

• a proof of part-time studies from the University
• a letter of support from the research supervisor
• a medical certificate confirming the condition

$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.

Installments are conditional upon receipt of all required documents.

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.

It is the responsibility of the FRQS award holder to check whether concurrent scholarships are allowed by the institution or the 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.

Excellence of academic record
– Global academic record: rating, progression and continuity
– Scholarships/fellowships, honours and distinctions

The FRQS offers a number of awards in collaboration with partners. The share of funding from the FRQS and the partner may vary according to the agreements in effect.

Eligible applicants are selected through a three-step process:

1. The applicant selects, in the Partnership [Partenariat] section of the application form, one or more partners whose targeted research areas correspond to the theme of their application.

2. The FRQS sends to the partners a list of candidates and useful information for them to assess the relevance of the request according to their research priorities and strategy.

3. After evaluation of the applications by a committee of experts or peers, applications having obtained the scientific excellence rating of 70 % and which have been deemed relevant by one or more partners, may receive a partnership award offer.

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

Note that by choosing to be considered for an award in partnership, and that you obtain such an award, you agree that the partner communicates with you for activities related to the award.

Training awards in the Pediatric research field, primarily in the area of childhood diseases.