Summer Student Research Program

The Osler Research Institute for Health Innovation (ORIHI) Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) provides students the opportunity to gain research experience in a hospital setting working with passionate researchers across many different disciplines.

Each year, we accept students into our SSRP with the goal of matching student qualifications to potential projects. For the third year running, it is our pleasure to announce that five positions are being supported by the Office of the Vice President of Research and Innovation at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Why participate in SSRP?

SSRP is a unique opportunity for students to gain valuable experience in a clinical setting. Students will be responsible for much of the research work on their own while having an Osler clinician as their supervisor. There is also a chance to interact with patients directly and to observe the daily functions of a clinical environment.

Program highlights

• Supervisors represent multiple departments across the hospital offering a diversity of experience
• Students are assigned a mentor to support research conduct
• 12 week program from June to August
• Bi-weekly education sessions to advance knowledge in research related topics
• Opportunity to present project at the ORIHI poster presentation day
• Awards presented to select projects

Eligibility criteria

To be considered for the program, applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Completed at least two years of post-secondary education in a health-related discipline.
• Academic performance: Minimum GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher.
• Provide thoughtful, 1,500 character responses to each of the following two questions in the application:
  • Why are you interested in this research program, and how does it align with your academic or career goals?
  • What skills, experiences or perspectives will you bring to the research team, and how do you hope to contribute?
• Research experience: Prior research experience is an asset but not mandatory. Examples include: lab or field work, literature reviews, data analysis, research assistant roles or research-intensive coursework.
• Volunteer experience: Participation in research-related or community volunteer activities is valued. Examples: STEM outreach, data collection, leadership roles or activities that build transferable skills (communication, teamwork, ethics).
• Evidence of impact: Any outputs that showcase your ability to complete and communicate work are considered an advantage. Examples: posters, presentations, reports, GitHub projects, awards or conference participation.

Responsibilities and tasks

• Assist researchers in designing a research project
• Create/revise study-related documents
• Prepare and submit studies to the Research Ethics Board
• Perform study procedures (data collection and analysis)
• Attend education sessions
• Compile all of study information into a poster format and present at the ORIHI poster presentation day in August

Required documents for application

• Your CV/resume
• A copy of your transcripts (official or unofficial)

How to apply

The online application for the 2026 program is now open.

Program duration

The SSRP runs from June 1 to August 25, 2026.

Pay and work hours

Student positions are paid at minimum wage. Students are expected to work full time (35 hours/week) for 12 weeks following a hybrid work schedule requiring three days onsite and two days remote each week.

Important dates

• Application open: January 12, 2026
• Application close: February 16, 2026
• Interview period: March 9 – 20, 2026
• Confirmation of acceptance: March 31, 2026
• Start date: June 1, 2026
• End date: August 25, 2026

Please note: As we receive high volume of applications every year, only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.