PEMRAP volunteers are responsible for screening, approaching and enrolling patients and caregivers, data collection, and record keeping associated with our studies.
We ask that volunteers commit to a full calendar year with our program. Sessions start in January, May and September, following the University of Calgary academic calendar. Each session volunteers are assigned a regularly scheduled four hour shift once per week in the Emergency Department. Shifts start at 10:00, 14:00, and 18:00 seven days a week, including holidays. For example, you could be assigned the Monday morning shift from 10:00 - 14:00 each week for the duration of the session.
Ready to apply?
Applications will be accepted from August 1-9th 2024
Please have the following documents ready for when the application portal opens:
In order to volunteer with PEMRAP you must have a current Tri-Council Policy Statement 2 Core Certificate. Please use your institutional email address to complete the tutorial and obtain your certificate.
Alberta Health Services Volunteer Resources and Research Ethic Board require the following qualifications be met in order to apply: Volunteers must be at least 18 year of age at the time of application, be a current post secondary student (or recent graduate).
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. We encourage individuals who have applied in the past to update and re-submit their applications.
Have you previously applied to PEMRAP?
We would love for you to re-apply to our program. The needs and make up of our team changes over time, and you will have grown since your last application. To update your application, please follow this link: https://bttr.im/f6vo4
How do we assess applications?
Here are some of the considerations we weigh when looking at applications and the overall composition of our team:
-Diversity, inclusion and equity
-Representation from a cross-section of academic backgrounds
-Representation from a cross-section of academic years
We value clear and honest communication, attention to detail, critical though, empathy and kindness. Our volunteers take responsibility for themselves and the wellbeing of our team. In PEMRAP we are motivated to seek continued opportunities for learning and personal development. Regular and punctual attendance is key for maintaining success.
What to expect next?
Once PEMRAP applications are reviewed, virtual group screening interviews will be scheduled on August 13th where successful candidates will then be informed on August 15th. These candidates will then be contacted by Volunteer Resources at the Alberta Children's Hospital to be formally interviewed and onboarded to AHS as acute care volunteers.
There is a mandatory orientation at the beginning of each session, this next one will be on Thursday September 12th 4-6:30 pm at the Alberta Children's Hospital, location room to be forwarded a few days before. During this meeting you will be introduced to current PEMRAP volunteers, the current studies in our research office and other essential elements. In addition, you will be offered specific training throughout the session, generally of 90 minutes every month or so. New volunteers will also complete an online training course on our electronic medical record scheduled by AHS.
We thank all applicants in advance for taking the time to apply to our program. Due to the anticipated volume of applications, only those considered for a screening interview will be contacted at this time. We are unable to provide individual feedback to applicants who we are unable to interview, but we strongly encourage you to re-apply for the next session.
"PEMRAP aims to improve the capacity of the Alberta Children’s Hospital pediatric emergency department to conduct patient and family-centered clinical research and quality improvement initiatives, leading to improved health outcomes in children."
The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program (PEMRAP) is an exciting and novel volunteer research opportunity offered to post secondary students interested in pursuing a career in research, medicine or an allied healthcare field. PEMRAP gives students the opportunity to participate in active clinical research projects being run by the Alberta Children’s Hospital Pediatric Emergency Research Team (PERT).
PEMRAP was established in the fall of 2010 by Dr. David Johnson and Janie Williamson. At the time of PEMRAP’s inception the Pediatric Emergency Research Team was small but growing and there was a clear need to develop innovative, efficient, and cost effective means of maximizing the recruitment of potential study participants in the ED. By the fall of 2011 PEMRAP was an established, independent volunteer opportunity for undergraduate students. PEMRAP has successfully trained and mentored more than 400 undergraduate students who have contributed over 22,000 research hours. Many of our students have gone on to enter medical school, complete a nursing degree, or pursue Masters and PHD level studies.
