Applications
Q. How can I submit my application?
A. Please email your application package to Linda Herbert at fom.ssrp [at] ubc.ca. The Student Application Form and signed Consent Form should be submitted in a single email.
Q. If I email in my signed consent form (as requested) do I also need to drop off the original?
A. No.
Q. Do I have to apply for one of the projects listed on the website?
A. No, students may contact a supervisor directly to arrange a project. See Tips for Finding a Supervisor (PDF).
Q. If I have arranged a project with a supervisor, do we need to post our project description online?
A. No. Online posting is simply a means to help students and supervisors connect, if a team has connected via other methods this step is unnecessary.
Q. How many applications are received?
A. Approximately 200 applications are received (both undergraduates and medical students combined) for this competition. There is no guarantee that your application will be funded.
Q. Do I have to submit transcripts with my application?
A. No. Students are no longer required to submit paper copies of their transcripts. To increase the efficiency of the application submission and evaluation process we will now be using the Student Information System (SIS) to access student transcripts. Students are asked to consent to the process on the Student Application form.
Dates & Deadlines
Q. Can I get an extension on the deadline?
A. To ensure fairness to all who are participating in the competition, the deadline posted on the Faculty of Medicine website is firm. The competition opens in December and we encourage applicants to submit their application packages as early as possible.
Q. When will the successful applicants be announced?
A. Funding announcements will usually be made in late April. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified. Please note that we strive to make funding announcements as early as possible but much of the funding used for the SSRP is not confirmed until mid-late April (i.e. after the start of the fiscal year).
Q. Can I start my project in May or at a different time from that indicated on the application? or What if my project start date changes after I submit my application?
A. While there is some flexibility regarding project start dates, early start dates (before June 1) cannot be accomodated as it may not be possible for us to confirm our funding at that time. If you plan to start your project early on a volunteer basis please let the FoM Student Research Coordinator know as soon as possible. The FoM arranges Student Accident Insurance as part of your SSRP award and if you are starting a project early we must ensure that your insurance is in place. If you are applying with a non-standard start date, please indicate the reason why on your application.
Please indicated an approximate project start date on your application form. If your project start date changes once your application has been submitted that is fine, just ensure you notify the FoM Student Research Coordinator.
Eligibility (Students and Supervisors)
Q. What is the role of the supervisor? Who is eligible?
A. The supervisor needs to have a UBC Faculty of Medicine appointment (can be affiliate appointments) at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher (i.e. Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Assistant Clinical Professor, Associate Clinical Professor or Clinical Professor). Someone else can be involved in the day-to-day direct supervision of the student, as long as the supervisor is also involved in the student’s project and mentoring.
Q. Can a post-doctoral research fellow or a graduate student be a supervisor?
A. Supervisors are required to have professorial faculty appointments at UBC (see above). A post-doctoral research fellow may assist with the project and provide day-to-day direct supervision; however, s/he cannot be the signing supervisor for the project.
Q. I’m not a UBC student. Can I still apply?
A. No. This competition is only open to currently registered UBC students.
Q. I’m in the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science Program (BMLSc) or the Bachelor of Midwifery Program (BMW), am I eligible to apply to the SSRP?
A. Yes, undergraduate students in the BMLSc program or BMW program are eligible for the SSRP. Other eligible undergraduate students include those in the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dentistry and Nursing students are not eligible for the SSRP.
Evaluation
Q. Who reviews the applications? Can I contact them?
A. All applications are adjudicated by an adjudication committee comprised of faculty members from the UBC Faculty of Medicine. Each application is evaluated by multiple reviewers. Applicants cannot contact the adjudication committee so as to keep the competition as fair as possible to all participants.
Q. How are applications evaluated?
A. For information on the adjudication criteria please visit the adjudication section of the website.
Q. I’m a non-MD undergraduate student in my first year at UBC, what are my chances of getting funded?
A. Currently the SSRP does not specifically give preference to upper level students (years 3+); however, analysis of previous SSRP competition data shows that they tend to receive higher scores in the evaluation process. The main reason for this is that, in general, upper level students possess the skills and background knowledge necessary to play a more significant role in the project; this results in a higher score for this component of the application.
In the 2011 SSRP competition there were 32 awards available for non-MD undergraduate students. Of these 32 awards 6 were awarded to second year students and only 2 were awarded to first year students.
Funding
Q. How many projects will be funded?
A. The number of projects funded varies based on the number of applications received and the available funding. On average about 50% of the projects receive funding. In 2012 the SSRP funded 62 MD student projects and 39 non-MD student projects. In addition, the availability of funding for specific research areas varies from year to year. For additional information on historical application and funding information please click here.
Q. Do all applications have the same chance of being funded?
A. No, not necessarily. The SSRP uses a variety of different funding sources to fund SSRP projects. Each of these funding sources has its own set of requirements and restrictions. For example, some funding sources stipulate that they must be distributed only to MD students while other funding sources are restricted to specific research areas. Consequently, the funding success rates vary for different types of students (MD versus non-MD) and different areas of research.
Here is a hypothetical example. For this hypothetical example Assume that the SSRP receives 60 MD student applications and 100 non-MD student applications and has funding to support 45 MD students and 35 non-MD students. It immediately becomes obvious that 75% of the MD applicants will receive funding while only 35% of the non-MD applicants will receive funding. In addition, suppose that there is specific funding available to support non-MD students studying fetal alcohol syndrome. If there is funding for two students and only three SSRP applications fulfil this criteria then these three non-MD students have a much higher chance of being funded when compared with the other non-MD student applications.
For additional information on the various funding sources used to support the SSRP please visit the funding section of the website.
Q. If I have applied for an SSRP summer studentship, can I apply to other sources for funding as well?
A. Yes, we encourage you to apply to other competitions, however funding for the eight week period can only be held from one source. Additional weeks or months of work may be funded by the lab or agency associated with the project.
Q. If I received an SSRP summer studentship in the past, am I guaranteed to receive one this year?
A. Funding is not guaranteed, even if you have been awarded in the past. All applications are subject to the same adjudication process.
Q. If a student/supervisor team are awarded an SSRP summer studentship and the student decides to pursue another opportunity, can the supervisor recommend another student in their place?
A. No, the adjudication committee ranks each project based on the project description as well as the applying student.
Transcripts
Q. Do I have to submit transcripts with my application?
A. No. Students are no longer required to submit paper copies of their transcripts. To increase the efficiency of the application submission and evaluation process we will now be using the Student Information System (SIS) to access student transcripts. Students are asked to consent to the process on the Student Application form.
Q. What parts of my transcript will be included in the evaluation process?
A. For information on the adjudication criteria please visit the adjudication section of the website.
Q. What is the percentage grade cutoff for funding?
A. There is no specific cutoff as GPA is only one component of the evaluation criteria. As we receive many applications, the SSRP is highly competitive and generally students with an average of less than 75% are unlikely to be funded.
Contact Us
Q. What if my question still isn’t answered?
A. Applicants are encouraged to contact Linda Herbert at (604) 822-7154 or via email (linda.herbert [at] ubc.ca) with their questions.
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