Leong Scholars
In partnership with the SickKids Research Training Centre, the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children awards scholarships to support salary for eligible MSc. and PhD student trainees through the following mechanisms:
- Restracomp. The SickKids Research Institute's graduate scholarship and fellowship program, funds basic, clinical and/or applied health science researchers working under the supervision of a SickKids scientist. Two competitions annually, in April and October.
- Clinician Scientist Training Program (CSTP). The SickKids Research Institute's scholarship and fellowship program for doctors, nurses and other health professionals, funds exceptional clinician researchers working under the supervision of a SickKids scientist. Two competitions annually, in February and September.
Restracomp/CSTP award applications now open in SlideRoom
Deadline to apply is Friday, October 13, 2023 at 11:59 pm. Learn more
When applying through the RTC for these competitions, if you are conducting research in the area of child health equity, please check the corresponding box on the online application. For more information, visit the SickKids Research Training Centre or email us at leong.centre@sickkids.ca.
Current Leong Scholars
David D’Arienzo, MSc. Student
Supervisor: Dr. Astrid Guttmann, ICES Chief Science Officer & Co-Director Leong Centre for Healthy Children, SickKids
Project Title: The Impact of Virtual Care Delivery on Pediatric Primary Care Safety, Effectiveness, and Equity
Dr. David D’Arienzo is a Master's student at the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluations, and a fellow in Academic General Pediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children. He completed his medical school and pediatric residency at McGill University. His clinical interests lie in complex care and inpatient general pediatrics, and his academic interests are in healthcare delivery and health equity. David hopes to explore new healthcare delivery means and optimize current models, to improve healthcare accessibility. His project will focus on examining the impact that the shift to virtual care has had on the pediatric population, specifically in the realm of patient safety and effectiveness, through an equity lens.
Erica Wennberg, MD/PhD Student
Supervisor: Dr. Astrid Guttmann, ICES Chief Science Officer & Co-Director Leong Centre for Healthy Children, SickKids
Project Title: Exploring Utilization of Virtual Mental Health Care Among Youth and Young Adult Newcomers to Ontario
Erica Wennberg is a MD/PhD student at the University of Toronto in the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. Her research project focuses on follow-up mental health care among youth and young adults whose first point of contact for mental health conditions is in the emergency department. She will investigate the use and quality of follow-up mental health care, including virtual care, in population-based studies and a qualitative review.
Omer Jamal, MSc. Student
Supervisor: Helen Dimaras, Scientist & Director of Global Eye Health Research, Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences, SickKids
Project Title: Exploring the Relationship Between the Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequities in Pediatric Ophthalmology
Omer Jamal is a Master's student at the Institute of Medical Sciences within the University of Toronto, and the Hospital for Sick Children. His research interests lie in pediatric ophthalmology, social determinants of health, global health, and health equity. His project is a retrospective cohort study aiming to characterize the social determinants of health of the SickKids Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science patient population. Omer hopes the findings of his study will help shape policies, programs, and practices which can mitigate or eliminate inequitable health outcomes in pediatric ophthalmology.
Past Leong Scholars
Kate Braddon
Award Years: 2022 - 2023
Supervisor: Dr. Catherine Birken, Leong Centre Research Chair and Senior Scientist at Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids
Project Title: The Association Between Maternal Preconception BMI and Early Childhood Nutrition
Akshat Pai
Award Years: 2021 - 2022
Supervisor: Nomazulu Dlamini, Neuroscience & Mental Health, SickKids
Project Title: Role of Health Inequities in Childhood Stroke Care and Outcomes: A Multi-Centre Retrospective Cohort Study in Ontario
Emily Hamovitch
Award Years: 2021 - 2022
Supervisor: Dr. Natasha Saunders, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids
Project Title: An Equity-Based Examination of Access to F/U Care Before and After the Introduction of Ontario’s New Billing Policies for Virtual Care