Department Student Awards

Dr. Harrison Waddington Fellowship in Family and Community Medicine

The Dr. Harrison Waddington Fellowship is awarded annually to enable family physicians to pursue higher education at the University of Toronto. The award will support the recipient in pursuing peer-reviewed dissemination of an education scholarship project beyond what would be required for their graduate program. This could include further dissemination of a required practicum project or thesis. A wide range of education scholarship projects are acceptable, including research, innovation, curriculum development, learner assessment, program evaluation, or the scholarship of teaching or mentorship. The DFCM Office of Education Scholarship will also provide project consultation as required to the award recipient. 

Eligibility:

The applicant must be a family physician licensed and practicing in Ontario who is registered in Graduate Studies (in a full-time or part-time Master’s or PhD program) at the University of Toronto for the year the award is granted (presently 2024-2025 academic year). 

Your submission should include:

• Completed application form
• Copy of a current CV
• Transcripts
• Letter of recommendation
• A description* of the education scholarship project to be disseminated (up to three pages, 12 pt. Arial font, single spaced)

*The description should include the following sections[1]:

• Clear Goals: A description of the problem, the goal, objectives, and relevant questions related to your project.
• Adequate Preparation: The institutional context surrounding the project; a literature review and summary of the current state of knowledge regarding this topic. This will also include a description of the impetus for proposed project, a clear demonstration or statement of current practice (i.e. environmental scan), the gap or need identified, and detail of perceived value of project outcome.
• Appropriate Methods: this will include a description of your proposed methods which are appropriate to your project goals.
• Dissemination plan and timeline

Terms and Conditions of the Award:

The award holder must be registered in the eligible graduate (Masters or PhD) program for at least 14 weeks of any term for which they hold the award. Repayment of an award is required if a student is registered fewer than 14 weeks in any term, or withdraws from their program.

Amount of Award: up to $4,000

Application Deadline:  Mid September annually  (Apply by September 13, 2024 for 2024-25 award)

Submit applications to familymed.grad@utoronto.ca

[1] From Glassick C.E. (2002). Boyer’s Expanded Definitions of Scholarship, The Standards for Assessing Scholarship, and the Elusiveness of the Scholarship of Teaching. Acad Med, 75, 877-880.

Waddington Fellowship Award Recipient 2024-25

Alongside the Graduate Awards Committee, the AFGS program selected Dr. Praseedha Janakiram as the 2024-25 recipient of the Dr. Harrison Waddington Fellowship in Family and Community Medicine in the award amount of $4000.

The Dr. Harrison Waddington Fellowship is awarded annually to a family physician, licensed and practicing in Ontario, who is registered in Graduate Studies (full or part-time Masters or PhD program) at the University of Toronto for the year the award is granted.  The Fellowship enables family physicians to pursue higher education at the University of Toronto and supports the recipient in pursuing peer-reviewed dissemination of an education scholarship project beyond what would be required for their graduate program.

Dr. Praseedha Janakiram is a Family Physician at Women’s College Hospital Crossroads Refugee Clinic, Assistant Professor, and 4th year MPH-Advanced Standing (FCM) graduate student at the DFCM. Her primary care practice is focused on the care of refugees and community-based HIV primary care with special interests in refugee and global health education, as well as capacity-strengthening initiatives and partnerships. 

Dr. Janakiram has held leadership roles including Program Director of Enhanced Skills in Global Health at the DFCM, Acting Vice Chair Global Health and Social Accountability in 2019, and she is the current Faculty Lead for the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration in Family Medicine. Praseedha has recently been named Theme Lead of the New and Evolving Academic Leaders Program at the Center for Faculty Development at the University of Toronto.  Her work and engagement have been recognized through numerous awards in leadership, education and global health. Dr. Janakiram is currently the Global Health Education Director at the DFCM.

As an extension of her passion, leadership, and advocacy for advancing primary care globally, through her education project Dr. Janakiram will disseminate a commentary manuscript for publication of her Advancing Women’s Excellence (AWE-FM) program fostering leadership development in women in early/mid-career globally – including program rationale, early needs assessment and co-creation process.  

DFCM 50^th Anniversary Dr. Lynn Wilson Award

The DFCM 50^th Anniversary Dr. Lynn Wilson fund supports DFCM residents in PGY2 or PGY3 year or alumnus of a University of Toronto DFCM residency program, in early practice (in the first 5 years of practice at time of enrolment in a graduate program), and a student registered in the MPH(FCM), MScCH(FCM) or MScCH(HPTE) fields at the University or Toronto.

Award Eligibility:

Candidates must demonstrate:

• excellence in the study and scholarship of Family Medicine - which may include Family Medicine Education, demonstrated through course work projects, practicum, research or other academic activities related to their graduate work
• overall academic excellence
• completion of at least 50% of their degree

Preference is given to candidates who have not received other forms of tuition support (e.g U of T tuition waiver).

Awarded Annually:

• graduate students will be identified for award candidacy by the Academic Fellowship and Graduate Studies Award Selection Committee at the end of each academic Winter term
• selected recipient will be notified during early Fall term of the preceding award year

Award Fund:

$4000 

DFCM 50th Anniversary Dr. Lynn Wilson Award                          Recipient 2023-24

Alongside the Graduate Awards Committee, the AFGS program selected Dr. Karina Prucnal as the 2023-24 recipient of the DFCM 50th Anniversary Dr. Lynn Wilson Award in the award amount of $4000.

Dr. Karina Prucnal is a family physician at the Credit Valley Family Health Team, Trillium Health Partners, and Associate Program Director, Admissions, Awards, and Recruitment, of the Postgraduate program, Department of Family and Community Medicine.

As a recent graduate of the MScCH(FCM) program, Dr. Prucnal was selected for this award for her demonstration of excellence in the study and scholarship of Family Medicine, reflected by her academic excellence and outstanding performance throughout the coursework of her degree.