CofE

Frequently Asked Questions

Awards, prizes, and honours are a way to recognize excellence in research, service, teaching, community involvement and collaboration at all levels within the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) community. These prizes are awarded by external provincial, national or international organizations (research honors and awards include distinctions such as the Fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada; national and international prizes such as the Killam Prize and the Canada Gairdner International Award; and nomination-based research fellowships such as the Trudeau Fellowships and the Sloan Research Fellowships).

Honours and awards are different from grants which are typically externally funded research or teaching projects/programs where the faculty member applies for a specific amount. Honours and awards may or may not be accompanied by a financial prize and are not tied to a specific research project.

External awards play a large role in promoting science, service, research, pedagogy, and community engagement. Recognition through an external award has enormous impact for the awardee, the institution, and the broader academic and scientific community and can lead to further opportunities. Stepping-stone awards can advance careers and awardees are noted within their community that their work is acknowledged by a wide audience.

Awards can be for everyone. The CSM Awards Committee provides information and support for external awards for both Geographically Full-Time (GFT) and Clinical/Adjunct faculty members – at all career stages. Please contact the CSM Awards Specialist (tgiroux@ucalgary.ca) if you have questions about award opportunities and nominations.

Yes! The CSM Awards Committee encourages you to nominate your colleagues. Nominations are not required to go through the Awards Committee. If your nomination is successful, please inform the CSM Awards Specialist (tgiroux@ucalgary.ca) of your result so that your accomplishment can be celebrated at our annual Celebration of Excellence recognition event held each year.

Each competition will have different rules about self-nominations. Checking the competition guidelines is the best way to confirm if self-nominations are permissible. If you are unsure, please contact the Awards Specialist (tgiroux@ucalgary.ca).

Should you wish to be nominated and self-nominations are not allowed, it is important to self-advocate and work with colleagues (and/or the Awards Specialist) to identify an eligible and appropriate nominator who will write letters of support/reference as well as champion the nomination.

A comprehensive list of available awards and deadlines can be found on the Research Services Calendar External Award Opportunity Database. You can search this database for “medicine” to narrow the results. These postings include institutional deadlines where required. This list is not exhaustive.  For society or discipline specific awards, please contact the CSM Awards Specialist (tgiroux@ucalgary.ca) who can help identify opportunities.

Yes! It is important to start thinking about awards as early as possible. Consider departmental, faculty, and society awards first as stepping-stone awards to larger, external awards. 

Visit the External Award Opportunity Database to identify an award and review the full nomination and eligibility requirements. It can be helpful to look at the past winners as well to make sure the award is a good fit. Consult your colleagues, departmental and faculty supports, and the Awards Specialist (tgiroux@ucalgary.ca) to talk about putting together a nomination package. Ideally, it is best to start the nomination process two to three months prior to the deadline to give nominees and individuals providing letters of support as much time as possible.

Try again! There are many external award competitions which, for different reasons, require two or three attempts. Review Committees change every few years and other factors may influence the review process. Developing a nomination package is an excellent way to reflect your skills and progress. It may highlight a gap (e.g., applying for a higher-level award requires a mid-tier award that you do not have yet) and presents the opportunity to address this gap. Approaching senior colleagues who can act as a champion and support as you seek to increase your visibility may help you expand your CV. Lastly, competing for awards also provides a great opportunity to receive useful feedback about your work and how it is perceived by awards committees. Ultimately, an unsuccessful nomination should not be the end of the process, instead it can be seen as an opportunity to improve and perfect your application.

Before you begin, ensure you have a copy of the nominee’s CV as well as any other material which will provide insight into their work and excellence. It is also important to have a copy of the eligibility guidelines from the funder to ensure the letter responds to any criteria they have requested. In addition to that, a strong letter will:

Tell us! Please contact the CSM Awards Specialist (tgiroux@ucalgary.ca) and/or report your success here.

Each recipient of an external award will be recognized as listed below:

Distinguished Awards

  • Cumming School of Medicine website story
  • Recognition on the Cumming School of Medicine Awards Website
  • UToday submission
  • Electronic bulletin board display
  • Oral recognition at the annual Celebration of Excellence
  • Promotion through CSM and UCalgary social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram
  • Inclusion in highlights given to the Dean’s Advisory Board when it meets
  • Inclusion in CSM highlights for university President to present to the Board of Governor’s 

Medical, Education, and Scientific Organization Awards

  • Recognition on the Cumming School of Medicine Awards website
  • Possible UToday submission
  • Possible Cumming School of Medicine website story
  • Possible amplification on CSM social media platforms

Society and Community Awards Recognition

  • Recognition on the Cumming School of Medicine Awards website
  • Possible amplification on CSM social media platforms

If you have more question contact CSM Awards Specialist, Tanna Giroux