Anesthesia Education & Innovation Grant

Principal Investigator/Co-Principal Investigator

The award is open to all anesthesia faculty appointed to the University of Toronto.

Faculty of any academic rank (lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor) can apply as principal or co-principal investigator. Faculty must:

• Hold a primary faculty appointment with the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine as a full-time Temerty Faculty of Medicine clinical member.
• Applicants cannot hold the same grant concurrently.

Collaborator(s)

• Any individual (including residents and fellows) contributing to the project team's work may be included as a collaborator.
• Part-time/Adjunct faculty may only participate as collaborators.

The award(s) will be given to the proposal(s) that demonstrate enhanced collaboration among faculty and hospital sites, including the following criteria:

• The development of new and effective teaching methods and strategies that enhance the learning experience and outcomes of anesthesia trainees.
• Promote evidence-based practices in anesthesia education, which ensures that trainees are exposed to the most current and relevant knowledge in the field.
• Encourage the integration of novel teaching strategies into the existing curriculum, which helps to improve the overall education and training program continually.
• Recognize the use of technology and other resources to enhance teaching and learning, which can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of education and training.
• Recognize the ability to evaluate and measure the impact of proposed teaching methods on trainee learning and performance, which helps to ensure that the education and training program is continually improving.
• Support the professional growth and development of faculty members in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, who, in turn, serve as role models and leaders in the field of anesthesia education.
• Promotes innovation and excellence in anesthesia education and helps to ensure that the anesthesia trainees are well-prepared and competent to practice in the field, which improves patient outcomes.

The award recipient will receive up to a maximum of $6000 and be recognized at the Department's Faculty Development Day.

Interested candidates should submit a completed application form along with the following materials:

• A description of the innovative teaching methods and knowledge translation initiatives that the candidate is proposing, methods of implementation, and evaluation metrics of success.
• A letter of support from the hospital site department chief
• Budget request (up to a maximum of $6000)
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae

Successful applicants will be expected to provide the following deliverables:

• Interim and Final report upon completion of the project
• Presentation or Poster at the Department Annual Shields Day event or appropriate Departmental event.

Please note the following conditions:

• Recipients must complete their projects within two years of the date of grant. An extension for funding may be granted upon review by the Education Grant Committee
• Distributed funds may be used for educational development supplies and support personnel but cannot be used for conference travel, faculty income, or salaries.
• Recipients can receive the grant without Research Ethics Board (REB) approval or exemption. However, money will only be given once the REB application is approved or exempted.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following materials:

1. A 1-page cover letter describing the candidate’s/team’s qualifications and how their proposal meets the above criteria for the award
2. A description of the innovative teaching methods and knowledge translation initiatives that the candidate is proposing, methods of implementation, including evaluation metrics of success.
3. A letter of support from the hospital site department chief (brief email is sufficient).Funded projects should align with program or division priorities.
4. Budget request (up to a maximum of $6000)
5. Curriculum vitae

Selection Process

The university department Education Grant Committee will review all applications and select the award recipient(s) based on merit and alignment with the terms of the fund. Individuals on the Education Grant Committee are not eligible to apply for this award. The committee is not obligated to allocate all funds available. No written feedback will be provided.

Please find a document outlining general budget guidelines, as well as eligible and ineligible expenses here.

Below are resources for incorporating EDI considerations into your project:

Addressing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Your Research
Funding Application – Research Teams and the Training of
Highly Qualified Personnel from the Office of the Vice-president, Research and Innovation, University of Toronto

NSERC Guide for Applicants: Considering equity, diversity
and inclusion in your application