Building Leaders CFMS Conference Fund

The Building Leaders CFMS Conference Fund was established to support medical student attendance and participation in leadership, wellness and/or global health conferences. This fund was made possible through a generous grant from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). With over $10,000 available, we encourage all interested students to apply!

The funding will be disbursed over 3 rounds.

Round 1 Deadline - February 1, 2023 (Closed)

Round 2 Deadline - April 15, 2023

Round 3 Deadline - June 1, 2023

In order to be considered, two (2) sets of criteria must be met: 

Applicant Eligibility Criteria

You must be:

  1. A current CFMS member
  2. Currently enrolled, actively studying and in good standing at a Canadian medical school at the time of the funding application and time of the conference - for final year medical students the conference must occur before July 1, 2023. 

Conference Eligibility Criteria

The conference must:

  1. Occur between the funding deadline (i.e. Feb 1, Apr 15 or Jun 1) and October 1, 2023. We will not fund past conferences/those that occured prior to the deadline date.
  2. Directly relate to the stated themes of leadership, wellness and/or global health conferences
  3. Should NOT be reasonably perceived as subspecialty specific (i.e. anesthesiology conference, general surgery forum, dermatology update, etc would not be eligible)

Students that meet both sets of criteria are welcomed to apply. The highest preference will be given to applicants who may be speaking/presenting, or those attending the CMA Health Summit, Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership or the International Conference on Physician Health. Preference will also be given to students attending conferences within Canada. 

We ask that interested applicants fill out this google form, which will remain active across all 3 deadlines. If you have any questions, please email Zack Chuang, CFMS VP Finance at [email protected] 

Previous Winners - Round #1

Name: Madeline Tweel
School: Dalhousie University
Year of Gradation: 2025
Conference (Location): Conference of Atlantic Medical Students (Halifax)
Description: CoAMS is the Conference of Atlantic Medical Students; to network, promote knowledge sharing and future collaboration. This year it is hosted at Memorial University in NFLD from Mar 31 to Apr 2, 2023. The theme is Shining a Light on Underserved Populations, which focuses on vulnerable populations who receive fewer healthcare services and/or face barriers to accessing care. Topics will focus on understanding the cause of disparities in healthcare, solutions to addressing lack of care, and working with underserved populations. I will be presenting a poster at the conference and organizing/delivering a Hackathon focused on innovative solutions to reduce wait lists for people without access to a family physician, as part of the conference.

Name: Sandy Lum-Wang 
School: University of British Columbia 
Year of Graduation: 2026
Conference (Location): Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership (Vancouver)
Description: The 2023 Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership will be in Vancouver from May 26-May 27, with an estimated turnout of 400 attendees. Organized by the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders, the event will offer participants the opportunity to strengthen their leadership and management skills in healthcare by offering new insights and tools, teaching new practical skills about implementing positive change, providing a setting for networking with and learning from peers, and providing inspiration for stepping up as leaders in healthcare.

Name: Soomin Lee
School: University of Toronto 
Year of Graduation: 2025
Conference (Location): Crossroads Interdisciplinary Health Research Conference (Halifax)
Description: Hosted by the Graduate Student Society at Dalhousie University’s School of Health and Human Performance, the 19th Crossroads Interdisciplinary Health Research Conference is a nationwide, peer-reviewed academic conference that will be held Halifax, Nova Scotia from March 10-11, 2023. This annual-run conference will provide a forum for interdisciplinary learning and collaboration between students and experts in health-related fields where a diverse range of health topics will be discussed, including addressing barriers to achieving equitable health, tackling challenges of food insecurity, to digitizing health. Featured events will include panels, mini-courses, and keynote speeches, followed by oral and poster competitions. Attendees of this conference will consist of undergraduates, graduate students, and experts from various disciplines and health-related fields across Canada. The Healthy Populations Institute at Dalhousie University provides the organizational backbone for the conference by providing physical space and institutional memory storage.

Name: Anjolaluwa (Angie) Antonio 
School: University of Calgary
Year of Graduation: 2025
Conference (Location): Black Medical Student Association of Canada AGM (Toronto)
Description: The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Black Medical Student Association of Canada (BMSAC) is an annual event held for and by Black Canadian Medical Students to discuss and strategize around important issues pertaining to the Black experience in medicine and Black health in Canada. Through collaborative efforts, the conference allows for the generation of ideas to promote and advocate for culturally-sensitive and equitable improvements in the health and well-being of Black Canadians. This conference will be held on the 1st of April 2023 in Toronto, Ontario. All Black medical students across Canada were invited in 2020 and over 159 delegates attended. Access has since improved for Black applicants to medical school, therefore it is suspected the number of applicants will increase.

Name: Wayne Tse
School: University of British Columbia
Year of Graduation: 2025
Conference (Location): CMA Health Summit (Ottawa)
Description: The CMA Health Summit is an interactive conversation on how we can transform healthcare in Canada. Panelists include physicians and key stakeholders (e.g. healthcare leaders, politicians, healthcare staff, patients etc.) These conversations are intended to bring attention to key problem areas in healthcare and how we can effect change.

Name: Deea Dev
School: University of British Columbia
Year of Graduation: 2026
Conference (Location): National Health Leadership Conference (Toronto)
Description: The National Health Leadership Conference (NHLC) is the largest national gathering of health system leaders from all walks of life across Canada. This year, the conference will be held on June 4-6 in Toronto, Ontario. The theme for the conference is REUNITED! – it aims to present a platform for world-class leadership development, mentorship, meaningful discussions through plenary sessions and networking spaces. Throughout the conference, the five domains from the LEADS in a Caring Environment Capability Framework will be highlighted (Lead self, Engage others, Achieve results, Develop coalitions, Systems transformation).

Name: Mahan Maazi
School: University of British Columbia
Year of Graduation: 2026
Conference (Location): Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership (Vancouver)
Description: The Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership in Vancouver from May 26-27 is an opportunity to learn about initiatives, goals, skills, and current topics on leadership in medicine in Canada. I will have an opportunity to gain important knowledge and network with other medical students, residents, and physicians across the country. The attendees will include many people within medicine including future colleagues and mentors. I hope I have an opportunity to meet like minded individuals and learn from them.

FAQ

I’m not applying to one of the preferred conferences, should I still apply?

Absolutely! As a brand new CFMS program, we expect applicants to apply to many different conferences. While preference is given to the conferences listed above, any conference that meets the stated theme requirements is eligible! Please make sure you review the conference eligibility criteria. 

How much money can I get? What is covered?

The portion of the fund awarded to each applicant will be based on the discretion of the VP Finance. Successful candidates will be asked to meet (virtually) with the VP Finance for a brief chat. Sign up fees, presenting fees, poster costs, travel (ground and air) and hotel accommodations are all eligible for coverage, pending the conversation with the VP finance. Remember, the CFMS operates on a reimbursement model so you must keep your receipts in order to receive a cheque!

When will I be informed if I was chosen?

We will do our best to notify all applicants, successful and not, within 10 business days of each deadline.

Can I submit more than once?

You can only submit each conference once, but you are welcome to submit more than one conference!

Can I apply as an MD/PhD Student?

Yes, MD/PhD students are eligible to apply, even if you are currently completing your PhD years. 

Can I apply during a gap year?

It depends. You must be an enrolled and active student at the time of the funding application and the time of the conference. For example, if you are an unmatched student completing a fifth year, you are eligible during the fifth year. If you are currently on a break from your medical studies, you would not be eligible. 

Can I attend conferences in the summer?

Yes, conferences can occur during the summer. However, if you are a final year medical student, they must occur BEFORE you start residency on July 1, 2023.