Testimonials

What our collaborators say

OPDES provided my research team with the resources and expertise needed to take my education study from an idea to a completed project in record time. You won’t find a more engaged, thoughtful, and helpful group that OPDES.

Dr. Stephen Gauthier
Division of General Internal Medicine
Department of Medicine, Queen's University

As a novice medical education researcher, the educational scholarship team has provided tremendous guidance, support and expertise to help bring my research ideas to fruition. They consistently provide a positive and structured approach to tackling my education-related questions, while also guiding me in becoming a more strong, confident and independent researcher. I always look forward to my meetings with the friendly and encouraging individuals from OPDES because I know it will always be an efficient and effective time well-spent.

Dr. Christine Law
Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's University

I have had the pleasure of working with OPDES on several research projects over the past 6 years. During my MMEd thesis project, which started with a few local resident interviews and expanded to a national survey of resident perspectives on CBME, the expertise of their educational scholarship team was invaluable as I explored interview structuring, survey design, and qualitative research for the first time. With other educational projects, OPDES has been a wonderful resource in terms of study design, ethics approval, manuscript preparation, and networking. Their involvement has been indispensable, and I look forward to many years of ongoing collaboration.

Dr. Steve Mann
Orthopaedic Surgery, Queen's University

A Video Thank You from Nathan Katz, Medical Student and OPDES Health Sciences Intern Summer 2020

The OPDES educational scholarship team has been instrumental in supporting the educational research we have been doing with the Queen's University Airway Course. Their scholarly acumen, technical proficiency and helpful attitudes allowed us to focus on the big picture while being supported every step of the way. The Fellowship for Education Scholarship, which they support, was an excellent experience that significantly increased my proficiency with educational scholarship and allowed me to conceptualize and launch several interesting educational research projects

Dr. Fil Gilic
Family Medicine, Queen’s University

OPDES has been an integral resource and source of support for the Dean’s Action Table on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (DAT-EDI) environmental scan of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Their expertise and sound knowledge has guided the work of the 165+ member DAT-EDI, ensuring the work is conducted in a stream-lined and professional manner. It has been a great pleasure to collaborate with the OPDES team

Dr. Giselle Valarezo
EDI Program Manager
Faculty of Health Sciences EDI Office

I have had the great fortune to work with the OPDES educational Scholarship team at FHS. I found every conversation I had with members of their team to be intellectually enriching. Members of the educational Scholarship team are organized, easy to work with, and highly knowledgeable. I highly appreciate the time and opinions that they share with their partners, and I look forward to working with them again in the future.

Dr. Mohammad Auais
Queen’s School of Rehabilitation Therapy

I feel privileged to have been part of the Fellows in Educational Scholarship Program team. FESP provided me with the opportunity to develop my knowledge, skills and confidence in educational scholarship. I now systematically research how I design and deliver online graduate courses to mid-career health science professionals. This work synergistically informs my course delivery and adds to the broader knowledge base in health sciences education.

Dr. Salinda Horgan
Queen’s School of Rehabilitation Therapy
& Department of Psychiatry

I participated in the OPDES medical education studentship between my 2nd and 3rd year of medical school. As someone without a background in research, the studentship was an important launching point for my interest in medical education and in developing my research skills. I was also well supported when I wanted to pursue an independent research idea. My mentors in the office were always ready to help, from developing my idea into a project, to moving it into a tangible research product. I highly recommend this opportunity for medical students who are interested in Med Ed or learning more about it - I guarantee that they will develop both as researchers and as future educators.

Natasha Tang
Health Sciences Intern 2019

We first started working with OPDES five years ago on a small project and with no experience in education scholarship. They were an amazing resource and guided us through every step of the process - from helping refine the research question, to study design, data analysis, and publication. The experience was hugely positive and we have since collaborated on a number of additional projects, including most recently a national study supported by a grant from the RCPSC. We are very grateful to Drs. Nancy Dalgarno, Heather Braund and team members for sharing their endless enthusiasm and their ongoing guidance, mentoring and leadership.

Dr. Anna Tomiak
Department of Oncology, Queen's University

I had the pleasure of working with the educational scholarship team on multiple projects over the last 4 years. Their expertise in qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methods was critical in helping me successfully complete many of these projects. Moreover, members of the educational scholarship team also provide excellent mentorship to medical students and clinical trainees who are working with me on educational scholarship projects. I highly recommend contacting this team if you are interested in engaging in educational scholarship at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University.

Dr. Boris Zevin
Department of Surgery, Queen's University
SEAMO Medical Education Scholar

After years of trying to establish my path towards educational research and scholarship on my own, with the help of the OPDES I finally became connected to a community of like-minded individuals interested in furthering a better understanding of medical education. They provide workshops and journal clubs for foundational knowledge. However, it is their research support and connectivity that finally broke the research completion and publication barrier for me. Without their support; specifically with the contributions of Dr. Nicholas Cofie an essential member of our team, our original educational research would not have been published.

Thank you Nicholas for everything you do!

Dr. Melinda Fleming
Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Queen's University

Working with Dr. Nancy Dalgarno and her experienced team at OPDES has been one of the most rewarding and fruitful partnerships I’ve been involved in since arriving at Queen's in 2019. The team is incredibly knowledgeable, collaborative, and dedicated to academic excellence. Our department has had the good fortune of working together with the OPDES group on a number of initiatives and look forward to continued collaboration.

Dr. Scott Berry
Department of Oncology, Queen's University

I am ever so grateful to the Medical Education Scholarship team, especially Heather Braund, for the valuable guidance and support for the educational research and initiatives I've been involved in. I have learned so much about proper research methodology, as well as practical project planning. Heather has been so patient and accommodating with me, often making time last minute or out of hours in response to my unpredictable resident schedule. We are all very lucky to have such a wonderful team here at Queen's University

Dr. Mirna Attalla
PGY4 Respirology

Working on medical education projects with the team at OPDES is a pleasure. The scholars at OPDES have a friendly and collaborative approach, no question is too simple or too complex. Working with OPDES has allowed me to elevate the quality of my medical education project and meet new collaborators.

Dr. Mala Joneja
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Queen's University

My name is Maryam Zadeh, an incoming third-year medical student at Queen’s University. Over my last two years in medical school, I have worked extensively with the Educational Scholarship team on various research projects.

When I started on a new project as a first-year medical student, I had limited experience in conducting qualitative research. However, I was eager to learn, and the team adequately extended their expertise and knowledge to me. They are very knowledgeable in their area of research and dedicated to the advancement of scientific research. The team’s expertise and passion for teaching have kept me motivated and committed to always strive for my best.

Throughout the last two years that I have been working with the Educational Scholarship team, the team always prioritized the needs of the students and assured that we have a great and safe working and learning environment. When I was faced with challenges, the team took the time to guide me through them and offered just the right amount of guidance for me to solve them. The team continuously encouraged me to think critically when faced with challenges and provided guidance to overcome obstacles and learn from my mistakes. They are always available to answer any questions and offer their help. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the Educational Scholarship team and am looking forward to further collaboration in the future.

Maryam Zadeh
Incoming 3rd-Year Queen’s Medical Student

Over the last several years, my education research focus has been around understanding systems of learner assessment in CBME. The Office of Professional Development and Education Scholarship has been an essential ally in supporting this work. From grant-writing to study design and execution to manuscript writing and review, they’ve been an essential support to getting my program of scholarship launched.

Dr. David Taylor
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University