The Rural Physician Research Grant Program empowers rural physician researchers—especially new aspiring researchers—to pursue innovative rural research projects that advance rural health in British Columbia. Through this program, rural physician researchers will be able to apply for research grants of up to $10,000 per year to support rural health research. The annual application deadline for RPRGP takes place on April 30; should there be sufficient funding remaining, a second intake will take place in October. The next application deadline will always be listed on this page.
Eligibility for the Rural Physician Research Grant Program
To be eligible, applicants must be:
- Physicians practicing rural medicine and with demonstrable connections to rural communities.
- Carrying out research pertaining to advancing health in rural British Columbia.
Students and other co-Investigators may participate so long as the work is led by a rural physician.
Priority will be given to work in rural BC led by active physicians in current rural practice.
Application Process
To be considered for a grant, you must submit a complete application package by the deadline posted at the top of this page. The application process is being updated to use an online form, with an updated proposal package. Applications will open March 1, 2025. The complete package must include the following: formal supporting together (Please see last year’s research proposal and budget form for an example of what will be required).
Complete applications must also include the following attachments:
- Current CV of principal investigator(s)
- Letter of support from local hospital chief of staff or health authority medical director
- Reference letter from a clinician in an Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA) community
- If conducting research with First Nations communities, please provide letter(s) of support from Band Council(s) of the participating communities
Please note that it is a condition of this award that full approval for the research be granted by an appropriate ethics committee or board prior to the commencement of data collection.
Your application package must be submitted to [email protected] by the next intake deadline: April 30, 2025.
Please visit our RPRGP FAQs page for detailed answers to frequent questions about eligibility and the application process.
Research success
Get help with your application
We encourage applicants to reach out to a member of our research team, below, who can review and provide feedback on your application. They can also offer advice on the research process, ethics approval, and research resources. Should you encounter any difficulties with the online application process, please do not hesitate to reach out for assistance; we are here to help! Please contact us at [email protected] or call us at 1-877-908-8222.
Team Involved
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BC Rural Health Research Exchange
BCRHRx is a virtual half-day event filled with brief rapid-style presentations designed to inform, engage and share current rural research in BC.
Rural Global Health Partnership Initiative
RGHPI offers grants for projects spearheaded by rural physicians or medical trainees in British Columbia (BC) and their partners based in underserved rural communities in BC, other parts of Canada, or internationally.
