Trainee Hub

The Trainee Hub is a new initiative for graduate students, post-doctoral research fellows, and clinical trainees who are members of the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children. Trainees will learn from community partners and researchers about the foundations, ethical dimensions, and planning for community-engaged research.
The Trainee Hub provides mentorship in the planning and implementation of community-engaged research by offering monthly in-person meetings. These workshops are being held as hybrid events on Microsoft Teams until further notice.
The Trainee Hub workshops are only open to the graduate students, post-doctoral research fellows, and clinical trainees who are members of the Centre. These members are invited to sign-up below to receive updates about the Trainee Hub events.
The Trainee Hub is moderated by Dr. Priscilla Medeiros, PhD
Knowledge Mobilization and Community Engagement Specialist, Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children, University of Toronto
Archived Sessions
Tuesday, September 19, 2023 | Trainee Hub Event: “Planning for Impactful Engagement: Developing an Engagement Plan for Partnerships in Child Health Research”
This workshop focuses on how to co-design an engagement plan when collaborating with patients, families, and community members in the conduct of clinical research.
Dr. Francine Buchanan is the Program Manager for Patient & Family Engagement in Research at SickKids and the Ontario Child Health Support Unit. She brings a diverse background of skills and experience to the role including as a co-investigator on a number of CIHR-funded studies and as a research family advisor sharing her lived experience caring for her son with medical complexity.
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 | Trainee Hub Event: "Engaging the Community in Research: Insights from Youth Partners”
This workshop focuses on strategies for engaging youth partners in the research process.
Stacie Smith is the Executive Director of the Young Canadians Roundtable on Health. She is also the founder of the Mental Health Student Support Network, Groundbreaker with Frayme, and co-lead of the Mental Health International Youth Advisory Committee.
Raissa Amany is the Co-Executive Director the Young Canadians Roundtable on Health. She is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Raissa is also a youth advisory council member with the Knowledge Institute for Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions and Kids Help Phone, a research partner with CAMH, and a Groundbreaker with Frayme.
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 | Trainee Hub Event: "Community-Based Research Axiology and Qualitative Health Research Methodology: An Introduction to Value-Adding Research”
This workshop focuses on the fundamental elements of qualitative research design.
Dr. Naomi Thulien is a nurse practitioner and staff scientist at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 | Trainee Hub Event: "Community-Based Research: Preparing Your Study for REB Submission"
This workshop focuses on the ethical issues unique to community-engaged research.
Maria Isabel Suarez is a Research Ethics Coordinator for the Research Ethics and Regulatory Compliance Office at The Hospital for Sick Children.
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 | Trainee Hub Event: "Creating Equitable Spaces in Family Engagement in Research"
This workshop focuses on the importance of building authentic and meaningful relationships between families and researchers.
Rae Martens is a Knowledge Broker with Kids Brain Health Network, CanChild and the University of Calgary. She oversees the Community of Practice for the Family Engagement in Research (FER) Training Program.
Gunjan Seth is a family leader, family mentor, and Family Advisory Committee Co-Chair at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
Sam Micsinszki is a registered nurse and currently a postdoctoral fellow at CanChild and the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University.
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | Trainee Hub Event: "Community-Engaged Research and Learning"
This workshop focuses on the principles and theories related to both community-engaged learning and community-engaged research.
Shannon Black is the Lead Coordinator of Academic Initiatives with the Centre for Community Partnerships at the University of Toronto.