Research Resources
Building research skills and capacity is essential for producing high‑quality, impactful scholarship. Whether you are new to research or looking to deepen your expertise, a wide range of resources are available to support you across the research lifecycle — from study design and methods, to funding, writing, dissemination, and knowledge translation.
These resources support clinical, educational, quality improvement, and health systems research, and are designed to meet learners and faculty at different stages of their careers. Opportunities include structured training programs, self‑directed learning tools, mentorship, research infrastructure, administrative support, and formal certificate and degree programs.
Expand the sections below to find the supports that best align with your goals, interests, and research context.
Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) Education - ACT AEC
- ACT provides comprehensive training focused on clinical trial research, supporting investigators across the research lifecycle.
Raising Interdisciplinary Scientist Excellence (RISE) RISE LMS – ENRICH
- RISE offers research training resources specific to perinatal and child health and supports interdisciplinary research excellence.
Both ACT and RISE offer rich research training resources covering the fundamentals of research. ACT focuses on clinical trials, while RISE is tailored to perinatal and child health research.
The Gwenna Moss Centre
The Gwenna Moss Centre regularly offers:
- Courses on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
- Writing retreats
- Manuscript writing support
- Additional programming
Office of the Vice-Dean Research (OVDR)
OVDR has developed this excellent handout that includes:
- Grant development guidance
- Departmental research contacts
- Funding opportunities
- Overview of the grant submission process
Additional OVDR Resources
Research Question Development
For a handout on developing Research Questions using PICOT and FINER, Click Here.
Research Metrics
Research metrics assess the impact of scholarly work at the article, author, and journal levels. The Research Metrics guide introduces commonly used measures and how to apply them to your work.
College of Medicine Research Units
Explore the various research units available within the College of Medicine to support clinical, educational, and translational research.
Medical Education Research Grants & Journals
Faculty Development has compiled two key resources originally created for Medical Education Research and Scholarship Day (now known as RISE):
These documents are intended to be evergreen and updated regularly. Suggestions for additional grants or journals are welcome.
Contact: medicinefaculty.development@usask.ca
University Library Support
The University Library supports researchers through the Liaison Librarian Program by:
- Providing information resources and research tools
- Supporting literature searching and systematic reviews
- Facilitating scholarly communication
Faculty Development Library
Faculty Development maintains a physical lending library of books and resources related to medical education and faculty development.
Browse available titles online: https://cmfdlibrary.librarika.com/
Resources can be borrowed by:
- College of Medicine faculty
- Other health professions
- Participants in Faculty Development programming
- Distributed teaching sites across Saskatchewan
To borrow resources or suggest new titles, contact: medicinefaculty.development@usask.ca
Visit the Medical Education Resources page for more information on library services available at USask.
Research IT supports include access to commonly used research software such as:
- NVivo
- R project Statistical Computing
- SAS
- SPSS
- Stata
All research projects must be registered in UnivRS.
Sign up at: https://wiki.usask.ca/display/itsproject217/UnivRS+Home
Health Quality Council https://hqc.sk.ca/
- Offers excellent programs for developing QI skills in Saskatchewan health care
Choosing Wisely Saskatchewan
- Coordinated through the Health Quality Council
Greg’s Story https://gregswings.ca
- A compelling narrative highlighting the need for systems change in health care
AAMC –Medical Education Scholarship Research and Evaluation (MESRE)
- Includes an overview video: 'What is MESRE?'
RIME (Research in Medical Education) – AMEE (link)
Knowledge Translation Canada
- Introductory online course on systematic reviews and meta-analyses, plus additional education and training opportunities.
McMaster TRAction
- Toolkit for Research in Action
Visual Abstracts
- PowerPoint on best practices and how to create a visual abstract (link)
Jane (Journal/Author Name Estimator)
- A free tool to help identify appropriate journals for manuscript submission
Nature Masterclasses – Scientific Writing & Publishing
- Free and paid courses available for all career stages (link)
Scholarship Resources
Finding opportunities for scholarship within your day‑to‑day work can be challenging, but it can also be highly efficient and rewarding. Many routine educational activities can become scholarship when they are examined, shared, and peer reviewed.
Scholarship in medical education may include:
- Developing or revising a course, lecture, or curriculum
- Innovating new approaches to clinical teaching
- Evaluating teaching interventions or educational programs
- Translating presentations into peer‑reviewed publications
- Using quality improvement initiatives in medical education as scholarly work
- Creating innovative professional tools, resources, or educational materials
Be curious, seek collaborators, and share your work. Mentorship and institutional supports can help you navigate the scholarly process. Resources are available through the Office of the Vice‑President Research, and Gwenna Moss supports the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning through SoTL grants.
Faculty are also encouraged to participate in the annual Research, Innovation and Scholarship in Education (RISE) event to present their work or learn about ongoing scholarship within the College of Medicine and across Saskatchewan. Get inspired!
Expand the sections below to explore scholarship opportunities, funding, and mentorship.
Explore medical education journal listings that include publication details such as:
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
Applications are available year‑round for fellows or physician organizations planning professional development activities.
Professional Development Grants (up to $4,000)
- Open to Fellows in good standing
- Supports planned learning projects under Section 2 of the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program
- May include learning a new skill, expanding an area of competence, or participating in formal courses offered by universities, colleges, or institutions
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activity Grants (up to $2,000)
- Open to physician organizations planning group learning activities
- Supports Section 1 MOC activities or accredited simulation activities under Section 3
College of Family Physicians of Canada
The Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine offers grants specifically for Family Physicians.
GEA National Research Grant Award
Funding is available for high‑quality medical education research proposals in the following areas:
- Professional identity formation
- Learner well‑being or mistreatment
- Learning environment
- Faculty development
- Interprofessional education
- Competency‑based education (EPAs, milestones)
- Self‑directed or self‑regulated learning
- Virtual learning and COVID‑related educational changes
- Multiple projects funded annually
- Up to $10,000 per project
- Grants may extend up to two years
- More information
Proposal Development Support
Financial assistance is available for proposal development related to:
- Large‑scale Tri‑Agency funding
- Large‑scale non‑Tri‑Agency funding
Contact:
Janice Michael
Financial Development Specialist, Strategic Research Initiatives
306‑966‑2091
Publication Support
- Publications Fund (Research Services): Up to $1,000 (and potentially $1,500 when funding permits) to support manuscript preparation and publishing costs
- More information
Conference Funding
- Conference Fund Grants ranging from $250 to $5,000
- Available to University academic, student, and administrative community members
- More information
Research mentorship is available through your department head or research facilitator. Having a mentor can be especially valuable when starting out.
A mentor may:
- Provide guidance on research design and scholarship pathways
- Share subject‑matter expertise
- Support networking and collaboration
Mentors can be found locally or externally. Often, identifying a mentor simply involves considering who has relevant experience or interests — and asking.
RISE is an annual event hosted by the Office of Faculty Development to celebrate medical education research and scholarship across medicine and the health professions in Saskatchewan.
- Offered annually since June 2017
- Showcases work by staff, faculty, and learners across the province
- Open to all — abstract submissions typically open in January and close in March
- Opportunities to present, network, and learn from colleagues
Government of Canada
- Tri‑Council Policy Statement (TCPS 2, 2018)
Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada
Indigenous Engagement at the University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is committed to:
- Indigenous student success
- Meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities
- Promoting Indigenous knowledge and scholarship
- Advancing reconciliation through collaboration, respect, and humility
Office of the Vice‑Provost Indigenous Engagement – Strategic Goals:
- Respectful and constructive engagement
- Active communication
- Systemic and systems transformation
- System‑wide learning
FAQ
Where can I find a research mentor?
Research mentorship is available through your department head or departmental research facilitator.
I need specific help with a project. Who should I contact?
Contact your department’s Research Facilitator or consult the Office of the Vice‑President Research Staff Directory for additional support.
How do I create a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project?
View The Jane and Ron Graham Center SoTL Research Grants Handbook.
How can I build on my scholarship over time?
Commit to reflection and change, link learning to practice or quality improvement, follow a learning plan, and document outcomes for study or professional development credit.
Are there formal programs to support medical education research?
Yes. Consider a Master’s program or course in medical education. FAIMER provides a global list of medical education Master’s programs.