Research Volunteering

The Research Volunteering Program is designed for high school, college, undergraduate or postdoctoral medical students who wish to gain research experience outside of their academic curriculum. The Program allows them to discover the research environment, assess their own interest in pursuing studies in a new field, work with research teams with a view to pursuing graduate-level studies, or enhance their training with research experience.

Research volunteers can accompany a member of a research team to help them carry out their tasks. The volunteer collaborates in improving research by helping research teams during their studies, on a voluntary basis and without a mandatory schedule or any obligation to perform tasks. Volunteers must also receive the required training related to the project. 

Guidelines for the stay

• The proposed project and the tasks performed by a volunteer must be related to their current or planned study program and adapted to their abilities, experiences, and preferences.
• The research team must support, train, and supervise volunteers in order to optimize the conditions for the stay
• Volunteers must be trained to understand their responsibilities and the limits of their role.

Eligibility criteria

The volunteering must be:

• Unpaid work;
• Part-time, for a maximum of seven (7) hours per week;
• For a maximum duration of 4 months in a wet laboratory, or 24 months in a dry laboratory or clinical research.

Candidates must be:

• 18 years of age or older;
• Recruited by a regular or associate researcher of the Centre de recherche Azrieli du CHU Sainte-Justine;
• Enrolled in or having recently completed a high school, college or undergraduate program or postdoctoral medical studies, related to the volunteering;
• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or hold an open study or work permit valid for the entire duration of the stay and allowing them to work in the health field.

  • In the case of a study or work permit, this must not contain the condition “Not authorized to work in child care, elementary or secondary education, the health field”, or the equivalent.

Restriction:

• A student may do up to two 4-month stays in a laboratory, or one or more stays for a total of 24 cumulative months outside the laboratory. The total cumulative duration of all volunteer stays cannot exceed 24 months (in or outside the laboratory).

Admission procedure

Admissions are continuous.

How to apply:

1. Students are responsible for finding a host laboratory among the regular or associate researchers of the Centre de recherche Azrieli du CHU Sainte-Justine. They must communicate directly with the researcher and send them their resume, a cover letter and latest transcript.
2. The researcher who agrees to host a new Research Volunteer must contact the Academic Affairs office at least 3 weeks before the start of the volunteering. The volunteering is conditional upon approval by Academic Affairs.
3. If the stay is approved, volunteers must register at the Research Centre and provide the required documents to complete their administrative file. An access card will be emitted for the duration of the stay.