Clinician-investigator training in Canada

In Canada, there are a variety of options for training in the realms of medicine and science en route to a career as a clinician-investigator.

One common route is the Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) which is overseen by The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In this program, medical residents who have already completed an MD degree take time away from medical specialty training to pursue research. This additional training may take the form of a Master’s degree, PhD, or post-doctoral fellowship (for trainees who already hold research degrees). More information can be found here.

Another common route is the MD/PhD or MD/MSc training programs, which are separately offered by many Faculties of Medicine across Canada. In these programs, students pursue the competition of an MD and graduate degree (MSc or PhD) concurrently. These programs vary remarkably in structure across the country. CITAC has compiled this resource which contains more detailed information.

Finally, there are many trainees who pursue a clinician-investigator career without completing a formal dual training program. These include trainees who have completed graduate degrees prior to entering medical school and trainees who pursue scholarly activities without obtaining a graduate degree.