Graduate Diploma in Health Research (GDipHR)

Description 

The Graduate Diploma in Health Research (GDipHR), offered by the University of Toronto MD Program, is a 20-month longitudinal program which engages first-year medical students in a research experience and graduate level coursework. The cost for a GDipHR student is $18,000 CAD, with a $7,500 contribution from the program, and a $10,500 contribution from the research supervisor. TDRA will cover the research supervisor's portion of the stipend for one medical student conducting a project submitted by the TDRA community (dementia research-focused). TDRA will use GDipHR’s selection and ranking criteria to determine the successful candidate.

The GDipHR Program runs from the beginning of January of a given year to the end of August of the following year, and includes four weeks vacation. 

For more information on the GDipHR program, please visit the website.

Apply

The GDipHR program is not accepting applications at this time.

Meet the 2025-2026 GDipHR Supervisor & Student

We are excited to co-fund Graduate Diploma in Health Research (GDipHR) student Ariana Petrazzini, who will be supervised by TDRA investigator Dr. Sanjeev Kumar. 

Ariana’s research will focus on developing novel biomarkers and treatment interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia. First she will examine management of neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as agitation, in Alzheimer’s disease using both non-pharmacological (e.g., Virtual Reality and music therapy) and pharmacological interventions. Secondly, she will analyze multimodal data—including clinical assessments, physiological measures, and brain imaging (MRI)—to identify biomarkers of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease.

Ariana is a first-year medical student at the University of Toronto and a graduate of McMaster University’s Bachelor of Health Sciences program.  During her undergraduate studies, she was involved in initiatives like McMaster’s Black Student Success Centre, promoting inclusivity for Black students, and McMaster Smiling Over Sickness, where she supported pediatric patients and their families. Fluent in French, Spanish, and English, and with basic ASL skills, Ariana is committed to equitable healthcare, especially for underserved populations. Her Argentine and Jamaican heritage also drives her advocacy for diversity and representation in medicine.

Ariana will work closely with her supervisor, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, a scientist, staff psychiatrist, and the medical head of geriatric clinical research within the Adult Neurodevelopment and Geriatric Psychiatry Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).