Program Overview

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Resident and Fellows Research Course

The Resident & Fellows Research Course is designed to teach residents and fellows the fundamentals of developing and conducting a research study. The course consists of a combination of didactic lectures and small group workshops. The course is held in Block 5 of each academic year.

About the Course

1. Overview Throughout the 4-week course, residents will take an idea for a research project and develop a proposal. There will be ample time set aside for independent work to ensure that residents make progress on their project.
2. Topics Covered

• Defining a research question or project aim
• Choosing the appropriate study design
• Searching the medical literature
• Defining hypotheses, objectives, and outcome measures
• Refining methods
• Analyzing data – an introduction to biostatistics
• Research Ethics
• Overview of the application process for scientific and ethical review
• Quality improvement project design and analysis
• Systematic Review/Meta-Analysis

Resources & References

1. Textbook

• The Research Guide

2. Reference Survey Methodology

• Don Dillman’s Guiding Principles for Mail and Internet Surveys
• Administering, analyzing, and reporting your questionnaire
• Reaching beyond the white middle classes
• Hands-on guide to questionnaire research selecting, designing, and developing your questionnaire

3. Other Research Methodology Links

• Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches

4. Quality Improvement and Qualitative References

• Institute for Healthcare Improvement: QI Essentials Toolkit
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement: How to Improve
• Revised Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence: SQUIRE 2.0
• COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) checklist

Research Day

All participating residents in the Research Course are required to present a poster at Research Day. Senior General Pediatric residents and subspecialty residents are also invited to present posters or to enter the abstract competition for the opportunity to give an oral presentation. Prizes are given for the peer-reviewed top scoring poster in each session.

• Date and Time: November 13, 2025, from 8:45am to 4:30pm
• Location: ACH Conference Centre
• Keynote Speaker: Dr. Serena Orr
• Title: My Academic Journey: Serendipity, sparks of joy, and struggles

Funding Opportunities & Support

1. Department of Pediatrics Resident Research Course Grant The Department of Pediatrics Resident Research Course supports residents and subspecialty residents in the Department of Pediatrics to receive small funding amounts (up to $1000) to cover small expenses associated with the completion of their research or QI academic projects.
2. Resident Education Scholars Program The Resident Education Scholars Program (RESP) is a joint initiative between Postgraduate Medical Education and the Office of Health and Medical Education Scholarship, designed to support and advance Cumming School of Medicine resident interest and expertise in educational scholarship.
3. Research Support in the Department of Pediatrics Research support is available in many forms to support the ongoing development of projects. This includes policies, procedures, approvals, and connecting to other research support services.

Schedule

Master Schedule

The course schedule is finalized and updated regularly.

Week 1 Lectures

• October 20: Welcome/Orientation Session, Searching the Medical Literature, Asking the Research Question
• October 21: Study D&A: Types of Data, Study D&A: Overview of Design, Peer Review
• October 22: Study D&A: Statistics Lecture, Quality Improvement Methodology

Week 2 Lectures

• October 27: QI Workshop, Study D&A: Observational Studies, Randomized Controlled Trials
• October 28: Study D&A: Diagnostic Studies, Manuscript Writing Without Tears, Dept of Pediatrics Research Resources, Qualitative Research Methods Workshop
• October 29: Systematic Review/Meta-Analysis

Week 3 Lectures

• November 3: Give a Great Talk: Tips for Knowledge Translation, Creating Posters: The good, the bad and the ugly
• November 4: Intro to Health Economics, Ethical Issues
• November 5: Essentials of Grant Writing/Pitfalls, Survey Design/Analysis

Week 4 Lectures

• November 10: Conducting Research: Requirements for CHREB and AHS approvals, Research Grant Development & Budgeting: Where to start

Who We Are

Course Committee

• Dr. Jennifer Thull-Freedman
• Dr. Serena Orr
• Dr. Gerry Giesbrecht

Research Course Coordinators

• Jolene Haddad
• Breanne Steele

University of Calgary Acknowledgement

The University of Calgary acknowledges and pays tribute to the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, which include the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda. The city of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation within Alberta. The University strives to learn together, walk together, and grow together “in a good way.”