About the Clinician Investigator Program

The Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) at the University of Toronto is a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited postgraduate medical education program that integrates research training with specialty or subspecialty residency education. The program provides residents with dedicated research training and mentorship while they pursue advanced graduate studies or postdoctoral research.

As one of Canada's largest Clinician Investigator Programs, CIP prepares residents to become leaders in academic medicine by developing the skills required to conduct impactful research, secure research funding, translate discoveries into practice, and improve patient care.

Royal College-Accredited Research Training

Complete your research training within a nationally recognized program accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Dedicated Research Time

Benefit from protected research time that allows you to fully engage in advanced scholarly training and research activities while progressing through residency training.

Mentorship and Community

Work with experienced research supervisors and join a diverse community of physician-investigators, graduate students, and clinician-scientist trainees. Participate in workshops, symposiums, and professional development opportunities designed specifically for clinician investigators.

Flexible Research Pathways

Pursue research opportunities across a broad range of disciplines including biomedical science, clinical research, medical education, health services research, epidemiology, public health, health policy, and social determinants of health.

Program at a Glance

RCPSC-accredited Clinician Investigator Program
Available to residents enrolled in Royal College specialty and subspecialty programs
Master's, PhD, and Postdoctoral Fellowship training pathways
Dedicated research training integrated with residency
Structured curriculum including workshops, symposiums, and scholarly development activities
Access to world-class research environments across the University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals and research institutes

Streams

Completion of the Clinician Investigator Program can occur via one of two streams:

Graduate Degree Streams

Master's Stream

Residents pursue a research-based Master's degree while developing foundational research skills and completing the requirements for CIP certification.

Doctoral (PhD) Stream

Residents undertake advanced research training through a Doctor of Philosophy program, preparing for careers that combine independent research, teaching, and clinical practice.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Stream

For residents who already hold a doctoral degree, the postdoctoral pathway provides advanced research experiences and mentorship designed to support independent investigator development.

Pathways

Completion of the Clinician Investigator Program can occur via one of three pathways:

Continuous Training Pathway (CT)

A minimum of 24 months of continuous, intensive research training which can be undertaken at any point in residency

Fractionated Training Pathways (FT)

A minimum 24 months of research distributed throughout training as follows:

Twelve (12) months of research training completed in periods of 3 months or longer
Twelve (12) months of continuous research training

Distributive Curriculum Training (DCT)

A minimum of 27 months of research training completed concurrently with Royal College specialty training program with three sequential years organized as follows:

Three (3) months of clinical training
Nine (9) months of research

Ready to Learn More?

Prospective Applicants Explore eligibility requirements, funding opportunities, application deadlines, and the admissions process.

Current Trainees Access program requirements, curriculum information, forms, policies, and trainee resources.

Questions? Contact the Clinician Investigator Program Office for guidance on eligibility, supervision, training pathways, or applications.