Western Regional Training Centre (WRTC)

University of Manitoba, Department of Community Health Sciences,
Faculty of Medicine

The Western Regional Training Centre in Health Services Research (WRTC) is one of six training centres in Canada financially supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The Manitoba-based program is also funded by Manitoba Health.

Objectives

AcademyHealth defines Health Services Research as “the multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviors affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and ultimately our health and well-being. Its research domains are individuals, families, organizations, institutions, communities, and populations.”

The Western Regional Training Centre’s objectives are to:

• Support qualified students pursuing health services research training with a financial stipend
• Provide graduate students from a broad range of disciplines, including health and non-health backgrounds, with applied health services research training opportunities enabling them to address the research needs of a wide range of health-care policy makers
• Expose students to the interface of research and health-care policy
• Provide interdisciplinary training
• Develop linkages with other departments to add diversity and strength to WRTC activities

About the Program

WRTC is a collaborative training initiative of the University of Manitoba and also the Universities of Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Regina. This innovative program is designed to train applied health services researchers across disciplines, sectors, and institutions, and equip them to respond to the research needs of a wide range of health-care policy makers.

The training program is offered to thesis-based Masters and PhD students for one year. All students should be in their first or second year of training.

Training Requirements

• WRTC students must complete the following training activities, in addition to those required by their respective graduate programs:
• Enroll in and successfully complete the WRTC seminar series (CHSC 7730) offered September 2013 – April, 2014 (3 credit hours). This course is offered approximately every other Monday morning for the fall and winter academic term.
• Students must enroll in and successfully complete CHSC 7320 (Organization and Finance of the Canadian Health Care System) (no prerequisites; offered in winter term), and one of CHSC 7310 (Epidemiology of Health Care) (requires Biostatistics I; offered in fall term) or CHSC 7300 (Health Policy and Planning) (no prerequisites; offered in fall term).  Course Descriptions
• Conduct an approximate 10 week (full-time equivalent not to exceed 20 weeks in total) work experience practicum aimed at bridging the gap between research and practice in Manitoba. 
• Attend, at minimum, one of the knowledge translational workshops offered by Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.
• On a competitive basis, students will be supported to participate in and attend the annual Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research Conference.
• Students are also encouraged to attend at least 5 colloquiums offered by Community Health Sciences. Some students will also be asked to co-present at one such colloquium.
• Acknowledge WRTC support (and support of WRTC funders) in all publications/presentations.

Stipends:

• Students accepted into the University of Manitoba WRTC program will each receive a stipend worth $17,850. WRTC students receiving other awards will have their WRTC stipends adjusted accordingly, and will be given an incentive top-up.
• On a competitive basis, travel money will also be available for some students to attend an agreed upon academic conference.

Selection Process:

• This program gives preference to students who are conducting health services research that engages with and is directly applicable to the local health care environment in Manitoba, Canada. 
• Students must be accepted and enrolled in a thesis-based Masters or PhD graduate program at the University of Manitoba, and be in their first or second year of training.
• Students may not receive WRTC funding for multiple years while in the same graduate training program. Priority will be given to students who have not received WRTC funds previously.
• Students are required to complete a WRTC application form, submit their academic grades to date and their curriculum vitae, and provide two letters of reference (one must be from their current academic advisor). The deadline for applications is midnight, February 22, 2013. 
• An adjudication committee will review all applications; select students will be interviewed as part of the adjudication process. Final decisions will be made by March 8, 2013.