Reviewer in Training Program
Overview
The CIHR Reviewer in Training (RiT) Program runs twice a year during the Spring and Fall Project Grant Competitions. It offers Early Career Researchers (ECRs) a learning opportunity to gain a better understanding of the elements of high-quality review and the peer review process. RiT applicants can select either the role of a Mentee or ECR Reviewer.
- ECRs that want to gain exposure to CIHR’s peer review process with the guidance of a Mentor can apply to the Mentee role.
- ECRs who hold federal (or equivalent) funding and want to gain direct peer review experience can apply to the ECR Reviewer role.
To request a paper copy in English or French, or an alternate format of this page or documents referenced within it, please contact:
- Email: college@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
- Telephone: 613-954-1968
- Toll Free: 1-888-603-4178
Officers are available Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 8:00 pm ET.
Mentees
- Participate in the Project Grant competition with the support of a Mentor;
- Write practice reviews on up to three applications;
- Attend the peer review meeting in full;
- Present one review; and
- Participate in the committee discussions (mentees will have access to all applications but do not contribute to scoring and budget discussions).
ECR Reviewers
- Participate in the same capacity as regular reviewers (without a Mentor);
- Review a reduced number of applications (up to five);
- Attend the peer review meeting in full;
- Present their assigned applications later in the meeting; and
- Participate in the committee discussions, including contributing to scoring and budget discussions.
Please see the previous call for applications to learn more about the application process. The RiT Program is designed to accommodate two Mentees, and a minimum of one ECR Reviewer per Project committee.
Note: RiT Mentee and ECR Reviewer applicants are free to take on other CIHR peer review activities that are outside of the CIHR Project Grant competition. Should you accept both RiT and another peer review committee invitation, you will be responsible for managing both commitments accordingly.
Following completion of the RiT Program, participants will be asked to complete a survey to help refine the Program and be promoted within CIHR's Reviewer Pathway. ECRs who hold grant funding may be invited to join the College of Reviewers as Associate Members. Please note, participation in this program is not a prerequisite for becoming a CIHR peer reviewer. ECRs may also be invited to review for other CIHR programs if they meet the expertise requirements and selection criteria.
Important Dates
Dates | Events |
---|---|
January 8, 2025 | Launch of Spring 2025 RiT Program call for applications |
February 5, 2025 | Application deadline to the Spring 2025 RiT Program |
March 5, 2025 | Application deadline for the Project Grant Competition |
March 19, 2025 | Results deadline for the Spring 2025 RiT Program |
May 13 – June 12, 2025 | Project Grant committee meetings (individual committee meeting dates to be confirmed with each participant, typically held between 10:00 am-5:00 pm). |
Program Parameters
Participants in the Mentee role will be assigned up to three applications to review based on their self-declared ability to review. Mentees will also be assigned a Mentor who will be available to provide advice and support throughout the review process. Mentees must submit their reviews to their Mentor at least 2 weeks before the meeting for the Mentor to provide feedback on review quality. Mentees will attend the committee meeting in its entirety, where they will have an opportunity to present one review noting that only the most competitive applications are discussed at a committee meeting. They will not participate in the final scoring of any application, nor in the budget discussion. The meeting participation parameters may vary to fit the committee context while still achieving the principles of the program.
Participants will receive an allowance of $50 per day to cover out-of-pocket expenses incurred while participating in these meetings. Expense claims are not required; CIHR will automatically pay the allowance to peer reviewers.
Eligibilty
- Must meet CIHR's definition of an ECR on the application deadline for the Project Grant Competition;
- Must hold a position at an eligible Canadian institution on the application deadline for the Project Grant Competition;
- Must not have previously participated in the RiT Program;
- Must not have previously reviewed for the Project Grant competition; and
- Must not be Full College Members.
Candidates who are submitting applications as a Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) or Principal Applicant (PA) in the current Project Grant competition are eligible for this opportunity, however, they will not be selected for a committee to which they have applied or that is adjudicating their submission.
Mentorship
The College of Reviewers has developed a guide for Mentees to help facilitate the mentorship process during the RiT Program. This guide will be provided to you prior to the committee meeting.
Roles and Responsibilities
Before the meeting
The Mentee will:
- Complete mandatory learning modules on:
- Bias in Peer Review;
- Conducting Quality Reviews; and
- One of the following modules based on their methodological expertise:
- Participants in the Indigenous Health Research (IHR) committee must also complete:
- Visit CIHR's Skill Builders webpage for interactive exercises on areas they wish to sharpen their skills for the peer review process. Suggested exercises include:
- Appropriate Reviews with High Utility;
- Writing Relevant Reviews;
- Writing Robust Reviews; and
- Aligning the Review Scores and Comments.
- Declare any conflict of interest and confirm their ability to review through ResearchNet;
- Complete practice reviews for up to three applications based on their self-declared expertise;
- Submit their practice reviews two weeks in advance of their committee meeting to receive advice and feedback from their mentor;
- Prepare to present their reviews at the meeting, noting that not all applications are discussed at a committee meeting; and
- Familiarize themselves with all other applications to be assessed by their committee to facilitate discussions at the committee meeting.
Important: While a Mentee can ask their Mentor questions about the review process and review quality as it pertains to their practice review, scientific opinions and/or merit of an application should not be the focus.
During the meeting
The Mentee will:
- Attend the committee meeting in its entirety;
- Present their review and preliminary score as scheduled in the meeting agenda and sequence of steps;
- Compare their practice score with the consensus score; and
- Participate in the committee discussions for other applications.
Note: Mentees will not be able to ask their Mentor questions during the meeting as they will be occupied with other tasks (CIHR staff remain available at all times). They will also not participate in the consensus discussion or final scoring of any application, and do not participate in the budget discussion of any application.
After the meeting
The Mentee will:
- Arrange a meeting with their Mentor to debrief on their experience (if schedules allow);
- Be promoted to peer review processes at CIHR and participate when available; and
- Be invited to become an Associate Member if they meet the program's eligibility criteria.
Review Quality Assurance
After participating in the committee meeting, the Chairs, Scientific Officers and CIHR staff will provide feedback on Mentees using CIHR's standardized Reviewer Quality Feedback form as part of the Reviewer Quality Assurance Process. Following completion of the RIT program, Mentees will receive a letter stating one of the following outcomes based on their Review Quality, Participation, and/or Responsiveness during the program:
- The Mentee met the expectations in all areas of the RiT Program, or
- The Mentee did not meet the criteria in one or more areas of the RiT Program, with specific feedback to promote continuous improvement in the identified area(s).
The purpose of all feedback is to help Mentees build on their experiences in the RiT Program using CIHR Standards of Practice for Peer Review, enabling them to apply their learning to future peer review opportunities.
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