CAGS Resident Research Grant

• The applicant must be a resident enrolled in a Canadian general surgery program.
• The grant is for a one or two year duration with the potential for an additional 1 year no cost extension.
• A financial and a written end of grant report are required. If a 1 year no cost extension is requested this must be requested in writing with justification on or before the due date of the end of grant report.
• The grant will be awarded at the CSF. The grantee is strongly encouraged to attend the CSF to accept the award. The registration fee for the CSF would be considered an eligible expense for the grant for that year.
• The grantee must agree to present their research at the CSF 1-2 years after grant receipt, with grant funding permitted to cover the cost of registration. If the grantee accepts the grant, they are required to present at CSF. If you do not think you can meet this requirement, please reconsider applying. In special circumstances, a one-year extension to the date of presentation may be provided.
• The applicant must have some “protected time” for research and how the time is being protected must be defined by their Division or Department Head (within the letter of support).

• The grants will be peer reviewed by a resident grant panel, which will submit their decision and rationale to the Research Committee for final approval. If required, an external review will be requested if the stated research falls outside of the expertise of any of the committee members.
• All applicants will receive a short written assessment and a score.
• If no grants meet the minimum score (as determined by the Research Committee) then no grant may be awarded in a given year.
• The grants will be evaluated based on:
  • The importance, feasibility and methodological rigour of the proposed research project (60%).
  • The track record of the applicant in relation to the number of years post first appointment (20%).
  • The research environment, including local resources and and track record of research supervisor (20%).
  • Incorporation of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles and practices (yes or no)

The application should include:

• A title page with information regarding all co-applicants and contact information for the principal applicant, including an email address
• A summary/abstract of the application (max. ½ page)
• A statement of the impact or the potential impact on surgery in Canada (max. ½ page)
• A detailed description of the proposed research that includes a clear rationale, a hypothesis or research questions, specific aims, methodology (including pitfalls and mitigation strategies) and expected outcomes. (maximum 2 pages, including figures)
• A list of references cited (no maximum)
• A detailed budget explaining how the funding will be allocated
• A curriculum vitae of the principal applicant (max. 3 pages not including the list of peer reviewed publications)
• A letter of support from the PI’s primary supervisor, Program Director, or Head of the Division of General Surgery or Chair of the Department of Surgery of the institution where the work will be performed. This must include an indication of the amount of protected time for research and how the applicant’s time will be protected to allow successful completion of the project.
• Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strengthen the quality, social relevance and impact of research. Incorporation of EDI principles into the research design and development and training of the research team CAGS strongly endorses incorporation of EDI principles into surgical research. Please describe how the current research proposal incorporated EDI principles in the development of the research team, the research environment and the conduct and interpretation of the research itself. (max ½ page). For additional information on EDI principles and how to incorporate them into you research, please refer to the following resources from CIHR (https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52553.html).

The 2026 application process has closed.  Please check back for details for the 2027 grant competition.

Applications should be submitted as a single PDF file using the online submission portal.

Applications not received by the stated deadline or not conforming to these requirements will not be considered for funding.

For further information please contact:
Dr. Guillaume Martel
CAGS Research Committee Chair
Email: gumartel@toh.ca

Grant Receipt
An approved REB or lab/animal care protocol is required prior to disbursement of funds to the awardee.

Grant Reconciliation/Reporting
The CAGS Resident Research Grant is provided through the generous support from the Canadian General Surgery Foundation and its donors. To ensure transparency in the use of these funds and to engage and provide feedback to our donors, all applicants are expected to submit a complete financial report and written summary report, including the impact or potential impact of the research, at the end of the granting period. All grant monies must be reconciled within 1 year from the end date of the grant.

All grantees are also required to return as a speaker to the Canadian Surgery Forum 1-2 years following receipt of the grant to present their findings. Grantees will also be asked to participate in communication of their research findings and their impact with the Canadian General Surgery Foundation. This may include, when appropriate, participating as a speaker, being interviewed, or identifying patients who might be willing to share their impact story. The grantee should also agree that any practice-changing research findings should be translated to practice through the CAGS Education Committee.