The Review Process

The Review Process

This year, independent and experienced reviewers from various education, clinical and research sectors assisted with the challenge of reviewing the merit awards applications. We sincerely thank them for their expertise and commitment in delivering knowledge to help scores the applications to the Merit Award Program.

College of Reviewers

The review and scoring processes for the Merit Award Competition were designed to be as fair, thorough, and unbiased as possible. Each application was reviewed by four independent peer reviewers. These experienced faculty reviewed and scored each application using a standardized scoring system. The faculty members who served on the College of Reviewers are experienced reviewers from various education, clinical, and research sectors.

Based on the advice of the Review Committee, the department awarded 25 merit awards (funded) and 11 research commendation awards (non-funded).

The reviewers for this cycle were:

Name Hospital Site Department Academic Rank
Albert Yee SHSC Orthopaedics Professor
Andre Amaral SHSC Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Associate Professor
Andrea Gershon SHSC Respirology Associate Professor
Avery Nathens SHSC Surgery Professor
Bourke Tillman SHSC Emergency and Critical Care Medicine  Associate Professor
Charles de Mestral SMH Surgery Assistant Professor 
Damon Scales SHSC Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Professor
Darlene Reid UofT Medicine Professor
David McKnight - Retired Professor
David Goldstein WCH Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Professor
David Juurlink SHSC Internal Medicine Professor
Dominique Piquette SHSC Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Assistant Professor 
Donald Redelmeier SHSC Internal Medicine Professor
Donna Stewart TGH Psychiatry Professor
Edward Etchells SHSC Internal Medicine  Associate Professor
Evan Propst HSC Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Associate Professor
Ewan Goligher TGH Medicine Assistant Professor
Frances Chung TWH Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Professor
Ghislaine Doufle TGH Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Assistant Professor
Gordon Rubenfeld SHSC Emergency & Critical Care Program Professor
Hong-Shuo Sun UofT Surgery, Physiology and Pharmacology Professor
Howard Leong-Poi SMH Cardiology Associate Professor
Issac Odame HSC Haematology/Oncology Professor
Jane Batt SMH Respirology Professor
John Granton TGH Intensive care  Professor
Julie Hallet SHSC Surgery Associate Professor
Kali Barrett TGH Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Associate Professor
Laurent Brochard SMH Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Professor
Lesley Gotlib-Conn SHSC Emergency & Critical Care Research Adjunct Professor
Lisa Burry MSH Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Assistant Professor 
Luc Mertens HSC Echocardiography  Professor
Mansoor Husain TGH Medicine Professor
Margaret Herridge UHN Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Professor
Mark Levine HSC Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine Associate Professor
Michael Farkouh TGH Medicine Professor
Neill Adhikari SHSC Emergency & Critical Care Medicine Associate Professor
Niall Ferguson MSH Emergency & Critical Care Medicine Professor
Pamela Morgan - Retired Professor
Patricia Murphy TGH Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Professor
Paul Karanicolas SHSC Oncology Associate Professor
Peter Slinger TGH Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Professor
Peter Dirks HSC Neurosurgery Professor
Pier Bryden HSC Medicine Associate Professor
R. Jun Lin SMH Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery  Assistant Professor
Robert Fowler SHSC Medicine Professor
Robert Chen UHN Neuroscience Professor
Thomas Forbes TGH Surgery Professor
Trung Le SHSC Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery  Assistant Professor
Victoria McCredie TWH Emergency & Critical Care Medicine Assistant Professor
Vincent Chan TWH Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Professor
Warren Lee SMH Medicine Associate Professor

The Scoring System

The Application Process

The application package and instructions are modelled after the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Foundation and Project Grant programs.

The applications will be assessed by an independent review committee. This committee comprises independent and experienced reviewers from varied education, clinical and research sectors. The committee will assist with reviewing all applications.

Please note that Faculty applying for an award will not be invited to review applications.

Additional information:

  • Decisions will be based on the score and ranking of the application and eligibility criteria.
  • We seek to support research excellence as judged by standard metrics, such as peer-reviewed publications, external grants, and the development of high-quality investigators and trainees.
  • At least one award has been allocated for education-related research, although applicants will be considered for all available awards. To foster evolving areas within the specialty, one additional award will be offered for Safety and Quality Improvement Project.

The scoring criteria are as follows:

Senior applicants (excluding new investigators)

 Research Summary Page

Not scored

Research Concept, idea and originality

20%

Research Approach and expertise

40%

Mentorship, Training and research environment

10%

Curriculum Vitae and research metrics

15%

 Further criteria (see below)–       

15%

New Investigator applicants (< 5 years since faculty appointment)

 Research Summary Page

Not scored

Research Concept, idea and originality

20%

Research Approach and expertise

40%

Mentorship, Training and research environment

30%

Curriculum Vitae and research metrics

5%

Further criteria (see below)–   

5%

Further criteria

Specific research activity criteria (related to this award)

Is the research already funded by a peer reviewed funder? Y/N

Will this research project lead directly to a funding application to a peer reviewed funder? Y/N

Will this merit award promote cross disciplinary, collaborative research across hospital sites, varied academic units / or labs? Y/N

Will this research lead to important opportunities to translate basic science evidence to the bedside or change / improve clinical practice directly? Y/N

General research engagement criteria

Applicant holds a current appointed at a school of graduate studies Y/N

Applicant currently supervisors graduate students Y/N

Applicant currently supervisors postdoctoral research fellows Y/N

Applicant currently holds a research leadership role in an organisation that advances science. Y/N

Applicants’ research aligns with research priorities of their hospital. Y/N

Applicants‘ research aligns with research priorities of the University Department. Y/N

Applicant is part of a national or international research consortium. Y/N

Applicant has previously been awarded a merit award from the department. Y/N

If yes, was the research coming from that award funded from a peer reviewed funder. Y/N

If yes, was the project completed within the time frame specified on the original proposal? Y/N

If yes, did that research lead to peer reviewed funding. Y/N

Conflicts of Interest

To uphold transparency, it is important to note that Dr. Brian Cuthbertson, Vice Chair of Research and Innovation, was not involved in assigning reviewers or the assessment process.

No faculty member who submitted an application was invited to be a member of the College of Reviewers.

Questions

Please contact us if you have questions or concerns related to the review process.