TREKK Scholars & Fellows Program

About the TREKK Scholars & Fellows Program

Applications now closed. Thank you to all who applied. 

A key part of achieving TREKK’s goals is increasing our engagement of trainees (e.g. residents, graduate students) in resource development and implementation. This 1-2 year program is designed to support trainees, early career (<5yrs post-training) clinicians and professionals to: 1) become future leaders in the TREKK and pediatric emergency medicine community; and/or 2) better understand knowledge mobilization strategies for improving pediatric emergency care.

This is a volunteer program and work will be done remotely. There is no cash funding provided as part of the program, however successful candidates will have access to TREKK staff and resources to support their project and/or committee activities, and be connected with a TREKK mentor. Additionally, successful candidates will have opportunities to network at a national and international level with leading researchers and clinicians within emergency and child health. 

The Scholars program:

This program is designed to support trainees and early career (<5yrs post-training) clinicians and health professionals to become future leaders in the TREKK and pediatric emergency medicine community. During this 1-2-year program, TREKK Scholars will work alongside TREKK leaders to develop and implement a unique project focused on a key area of interest. TREKK Scholars’ projects will encompass two or more areas of interest including knowledge translation, knowledge dissemination, communications, continuing professional development, and/or research. In order to ensure appropriate resources and support we ask that each applicant identify their top 3 areas and/or topics of focus.

- 1 spot available

- Appointment: 1-2 years

- Time commitment: 2-4 hours/week

The Fellows Program:

This program is designed to support trainees and early career professionals (<5yrs post-training) with an opportunity to engage in TREKK-led efforts to better understand knowledge mobilization strategies for improving pediatric emergency care. Fellows are invited to serve on TREKK national committees to better understand the work of TREKK stakeholders. Fellows will be assigned one area of focus and one or more TREKK mentors who will provide ongoing support and opportunities for participation.

- 1 spot available

- Appointment: 1-2 years

- Time commitment: 2-4 hours per month (for participation in steering committee or advisory committee meetings and associated activities) 

Note: There is no cash funding provided as part of either program, however, successful candidates will have access to TREKK staff and resources to support their project and/or committee activities.

Areas of Interest:

1. Knowledge Translation.
We bring together parents, clinical experts, librarians, researchers, and communication specialists to review, curate, and co-create evidence-informed tools and resources for both general emergency department teams and parents/caregivers. Doing this work at a national level, across provincial and regional boundaries, and with the flexibility to adapt them to local contexts, can reduce inefficiencies in developing similar resources in different parts of the country and promote consistent, high-quality emergency care.

2. Knowledge Dissemination.
We use multiple methods, including scientific presentations, publications, online repositories, apps, podcasts, and social media to engage emergency healthcare professionals and parents/families. We are also seeking new and expansive ways to engage the larger emergency care workforce and general public to meet the emergency care needs of children.

3. Communication is at the core of what we do.
We want as many people as possible to know about TREKK’s work, and to hear their feedback. We want to share compelling stories of TREKK’s work and how supporting TREKK can impact children’s health outcomes. Building connections with people and groups across the healthcare system help us pool resources from various regions and disciplines, and use our collective and diverse experiences to enrich our ideas, thinking, and solutions.

4. Continuing Professional Development.
In Canada, up to 85% of children who need emergency care are first treated in general emergency departments (ED) that are not part of a children’s hospital. Healthcare professionals have expressed concerns in caring for children in general ED settings. Developing pediatric (child health) expertise in these settings is difficult, as certain conditions occur infrequently and accessing pediatric-specific training and protocols can be a challenge. General and pediatric ED teams work together to plan and coordinate education sessions to share knowledge, ask questions, and build connections between the teams. Whenever possible, our education sessions happen within the general ED, to offer simulation sessions and identify any environmental and systemic issues, such as equipment concerns, medication availability, and team dynamics.

5. Research.
We work with national and international research groups to keep informed of the latest evidence in children’s emergency care. We also pursue opportunities to test and improve how we mobilize this evidence, and how our efforts are making a difference.

For more information about TREKK, please visit the about us page

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 7th, 2021. Successful candidates will be notified by early October.

To apply, click the application below.