The Desjardins Centre for Advanced Training highlights achievements in its latest annual report
Pursuing a career in scientific research opens doors to numerous opportunities, but navigating career options can be challenging. At the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), the Desjardins Centre for Advanced Training (DCAT) is dedicated to providing continuous support to trainees. DCAT’s latest annual report highlights its achievements and ongoing efforts.
Since its inception, the Desjardins Centre for Advanced Training (DCAT) at the RI-MUHC has been committed to offering professional skills training, career development programs, and networking platforms for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The centre’s mission is to equip students with diverse skills and prepare them for a wide array of career possibilities.
“With over 1,700 research trainees, the RI-MUHC stands as a significant force in the research community,” says Dr. Rhian Touyz, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer. “Our trainees are essential to our scientific achievements and innovation, and we take great pride in contributing to their development as the next generation of researchers and innovators.”
DCAT is clearly making a measureable impact at the RI-MUHC. In 2023 hundreds of participants engaged with DCAT in a variety of ways, attending events, seeking career support or participating in a training program. DCAT hosted 65 events during the year, with over 1,000 participants, including workshops and seminars focused on career exploration, including careers in clinical and regulatory affairs.
“These events are intended to provide trainees with the opportunity to contemplate their future aspirations and actively explore potential career paths,” says Miguel Burnier, MD, PhD, the Director of DCAT and a senior scientist in the Cancer Research Program at the RI-MUHC.
Twenty-one research trainees received DCAT prizes or awards. They participated in various professional development activities, including Effervescence: The Future of Life Sciences conference, the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (offered by Concordia University), and the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Development Program (offered by Montreal InVivo, the John Molson Executive Centre, and University of Montreal’s Faculty of Pharmacy).
A crucial component of the support available to trainees at the RI-MUHC is personalized advice on resources for career exploration. In 2023, 59 trainees took advantage of one-on-one advising sessions, led by Dr. Emily Bell, Associate Director of DCAT. As a career educator and active member of the Graduate and Postdoctoral Development Network and Graduate Career Consortium, Dr. Bell offers tailored advice and connects trainees with specific programs and training opportunities.These focused sessions can be instrumental in helping graduate students and postdocs advance their career development goals.
The Clinical and Regulatory Affairs (C&RA) Experience Training Program is another major aspect of DCAT’s work at the RI-MUHC. In 2023, as part of the larger CIHR funded CANTRAIN Clinical Trial Training Platform (led at the RI-MUHC by Dr. Jean Bourbeau), the C&RA Program was updated and rebranded as CANTRAIN’s Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Development Program. Building on the success of DCAT’s previous program, CANTRAIN seeks to expand this training across Canada. DCAT remains a partner in the strategic leadership and transformation of the program.
The TREMPLIN consortium is a multicentre collaboration that will improve the career readiness of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at four McGill-affiliated health research centres: the RI-MUHC (Lead); the Lady Davis Institute; The Douglas Research Centre; and the Centre de Recherche de Biologie Structurale. The program serves to boost graduate students’ confidence in reaching their career goals. Confidence is essential for students’ well-being and career readiness. TREMPLIN helps students feel confident, explore various career options, and work towards their desired futures.
Funded by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS), TREMPLIN’s events this year included a Precision Medicine Symposium: Expanding Graduate Students and Postdocs’ Career Horizons. The event featured networking opportunities where trainees engaged with professionals and peers on various career paths in precision medicine. A total of 23 invited guests contributed to talks or panel discussions, while 16 professionals participated in a networking lunch attended by 100 trainees. Additionally, trainees had the chance to showcase their research in precision medicine through a 3M thesis-style competition, where nine participants vied for prizes across MSc, PhD, and Postdoc categories. The event also saw the involvement of professionals from many organizations, including Montreal InVivo, FRQS, BioQuebec, CellCarta, adMare Bioinnovations, Amplitude Ventures, and McGill’s Career Planning Service.
“There is an abundance of talented trainees at the RI-MUHC, and we recognize that their time here can be pivotal for their future careers,” says Emily Bell. “I take pride in the role that DCAT plays in guiding them and helping pave the way for their future success. We thank Desjardins for their generous contribution that allows us to provide such valuable career programming to graduate trainees.”
The DCAT team at the RI-MUHC includes Miguel Burnier (director), Emily Bell, (associate director), Ariel DeRoo (DCAT coordinator), Amelie Bourdiec (project manager, TREMPLIN), and Rhian Touyz, MBBCh, PhD, (Principal investigator, TREMPLIN, McGill Affiliated Consortium).
