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).

Sanjeev Kumar

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

Ariana

Ariana Petrazzini, University of Toronto

Past GDipHR Students & Supervisors

2024-2025

Student: Jessica Hira
Supervisor: Dr. Sanjeev Kumar 

Project Description: This project will use Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG) to assess cortical excitability and inhibition using single and paired pulse TMS paradigms in patients with dementia, in order to understand neurophysiological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia and to treat them using TMS.

2023-2024

Student: Julie Midroni
Supervisor: Dr. Andrew Lim

Project Description: This project will use machine learning approaches to link wearable sensor data acquired from older adults participating in various studies to clinical, imaging, and histopathological dementia-related outcomes. 

2022-2023 

Student: Shreya Jha
Supervisor: Dr. Sanjeev Kumar 

Project Title: Abnormal cortical excitability in dementia and its association with brain metabolites and clinical symptoms: TMS –EEG and Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy study

Project Description: The study of cortical neurophysiology is becoming increasingly important in advancing our current understanding of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including in the development of novel biomarkers and treatment interventions. Cortical excitability is another potential target for novel treatment interventions for cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia. This study uses transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalogram (EEG) to assess cortical excitability and inhibition using single and paired pulse TMS paradigms in people living with dementia. The study aims to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, and to treat them using Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).