**Shared on behalf of the Faculty of Medicine and Canadian Institutes of Health Research**
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is pleased to announce the launch of the Reviewer in Training (RiT) program for the fall 2025 Project Grant competition.
The RiT program offers Early Career Researchers (ECRs) a learning opportunity to gain a better understanding of the elements of high-quality review and the peer review process through participation in the Project Grant competition. ECRs in the RiT program can participate in one of two roles: Mentee or ECR Reviewer.
- ECRs that want to gain exposure to CIHR’s peer review process with the guidance of a Mentor can apply to the Mentee role. Mentees conduct practice reviews on up to three applications, attend the peer review meeting in full, present one of their practice reviews, and participate in general committee discussions.
- ECRs who hold federal (or equivalent) funding and want to gain direct peer review experience can apply to the ECR Reviewer role. ECR Reviewers participate in the same capacity as other members on the committee but have a reduced number of applications to review (up to five) and present their reviews later in the meeting. They attend the peer review meeting in full and participate in all aspects of the committee meeting discussions including final consensus ratings, individual voting, and budget assessment.
Following completion of the RiT program, participants may be promoted within CIHR’s Reviewer Pathway. They will be invited to participate in peer reviews as needed, and when they are available to do so.
The application process is now open and closes on August 6, 2025. Please promote this opportunity for ECRs within your networks and institutions.
If you have any questions, please contact college@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
Nadia Martino
Executive Director, College of Reviewers
Canadian Institutes of Health Research / Government of Canada