PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS and POSTDOCS

There are over 600 students performing research for their Master’s and Doctoral degrees at UHN. These students undergo research projects supervised by UHN Scientists and are affiliated with academic institutions which administer their degree programs.

Most UHN graduate students are in programs at the University of Toronto (U of T), as the majority of UHN Principal Investigators (PIs) are affiliated with U of T. UHN PIs and graduate students are also affiliated with other Ontario universities such as Ryerson University, York University and the University of Waterloo. Graduate students from international institutions can also perform research at UHN for their degrees through scholarships, internships and partnerships.

Graduate students at UHN pursue degrees in many different disciplines and programs. At U of T, some of the most common graduate programs that UHN students are affiliated with are: Department of Immunology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Medical Sciences, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Medical Biophysics, and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute.

Individuals interested in pursuing their graduate research at UHN will need to identify a supervisor and apply to a graduate program at a degree-granting institution.

There are two main approaches through which prospective graduate students find positions at UHN.

1) Identify a UHN Supervisor. Prospective students can explore the list of UHN Scientists/Principal Investigators (PIs), searching by research institute, research area, or by name, and identify labs and supervisors of interest. Students can contact the PIs directly to inquire about graduate student positions. Once a prospective student has found a UHN scientist to supervise them, they are required to apply to the university graduate department the PI is affiliated with.

There are over 300 postdoctoral researchers at UHN who come from around the world to train under the guidance and mentorship of a UHN Scientist. Postdoctoral training is available at both the post-PhD and post-MD level. As researchers in training, postdoctoral researchers can make a significant contribution to their field and help train graduate and undergraduate students.

Postdoctoral researchers at UHN are considered UHN employees and have access to health benefits and other incentives. They also have access to resources, workshops, and career development opportunities through the ORT. Postdoctoral researcher-specific programming and events are organized by the UHN Postdoc Association (UHNPA), who work to highlight the research of postdoctoral researchers at UHN, organize networking and professional development opportunities and provide community support.

Individuals interested in postdoctoral researcher opportunities at UHN are encouraged to explore this list of UHN Scientists/Principal Investigators (PIs) (searching by research institute, research area, or by name) to identify scientists with shared research interests. Prospective postdoctoral reearchers are also encouraged to interact with UHN scientists at conferences, events and through collaborations. Prospective researchers may contact potential PIs directly by email, including their CV and expression of interest.

Some postdoctoral researcher opportunities at UHN are also posted on the UHN Careers webpage. Potential postdoctoral researchers can explore current opportunities and create job and career alerts for positions of interest.

Undergraduate students can perform research at UHN throughout the year through co-op programs, thesis projects, research positions for academic credit or traineeship or by becoming research volunteers or through a summer position. These positions can provide undergraduate students with valuable research experience and skills.

The number of available positions for co-op work terms, thesis projects and research volunteers can vary. Interested undergraduate students can explore the list of UHN Scientists/Principal Investigators (PIs), searching by institute, research area, or name, and identify labs they are interested in working in.

Students are encouraged to contact potential supervisors directly, expressing interest in temporarily joining their lab. It is encouraged that students include a CV and a statement of why they are interested in working in that research lab.

For non-research volunteer opportunities at UHN, please refer to the steps and instructions found on UHN’s Volunteers page.