Table 1 General characteristics of Canadian summer student research programs for 2016
|  | Small (≤ 20 seats) n = 17 | Medium (20–50 seats) n = 11 | Large (≥ 50 seats) n = 11 | Pan-Canadian n = 7 | Total n = 46 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean number of positions per program | 11 | 28 | 111 | 18 | 40 |
Class of research offered | |||||
 Clinical | 14 (82.4%) | 9 (81.8%) | 11 (100.0%) | 6 (85.7%) | 40 (87.0%) |
 Basic | 13 (76.5%) | 7 (63.6%) | 11 (100.0%) | 7 (100.0%) | 38 (82.6%) |
 Field work | 5 (29.4%) | 3 (27.3%) | 6 (54.5%) | 4 (57.1%) | 18 (39.1%) |
 Other* | 2 (11.8%) | 3 (27.3%) | 1 (9.1%) | 0 (0%) | 6 (13.0%) |
Educational requirements | |||||
 Undergraduate students | 5 (29.4%) | 6 (54.5%) | 2 (18.2%) | 0 (0%) | 13 (28.3%) |
 Medical students | 0 (0%) | 1 (9.1%) | 2 (18.2%) | 3 (42.9%) | 6 (13.0%) |
 Both | 12 (70.6%) | 4 (36.4%) | 7 (63.6%) | 4 (57.1%) | 27 (58.7%) |
Program restricted to specific universities | |||||
 Yes | 2 (11.8%) | 3 (27.3%) | 6 (54.5%) | 0 (0%) | 11 (23.9%) |
Mean age of program | |||||
  < 5 yrs. | 2 (11.8%) | 4 (36.4%) | 2 (18.2%) | 2 (28.6%) | 10 (21.7%) |
  > 5 yrs. | 15 (88.2%) | 7 (63.6%) | 9 (81.8%) | 5 (71.4%) | 36 (78.3%) |
Duration of program | |||||
 8 weeks | 7 (41.2%) | 1 (9.1%) | 4 (36.4%) | 2 (28.6%) | 14 (30.4%) |
 10 weeks | 3 (17.6%) | 2 (18.2%) | 3 (27.3%) | 2 (28.6%) | 10 (21.7%) |
 12 weeks | 12 (70.6%) | 3 (27.3%) | 7 (63.6%) | 1 (14.3%) | 23 (50.0%) |
 14 weeks | 3 (17.6%) | 5 (45.5%) | 3 (27.3%) | 1 (14.3%) | 12 (26.1%) |
 16 weeks | 8 (47.1%) | 7 (63.6%) | 4 (36.4%) | 0 (0%) | 19 (41.3%) |
 Did not specify | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (14.3%) | 1 (2.2%) |
Selection of supervisors | |||||
 Formal screening | 7 (41.2%) | 1 (9.1%) | 4 (36.4%) | 4 (57.1%) | 16 (34.8%) |
 No formal screening | 8 (47.1%) | 9 (81.8%) | 4 (36.4%) | 1 (14.3%) | 22 (47.8%) |
 Did not specify | 1 (5.9%) | 1 (9.1%) | 3 (27.3%) | 2 (28.6%) | 7 (15.2%) |
Funding†| |||||
 Host institution | 8 (47.1%) | 7 (63.6%) | 6 (54.5%) | 2 (28.6%) | 23 (50.0%) |
 Principal investigator grant | 8 (47.1%) | 6 (54.5%) | 7 (63.6%) | 0 (0%) | 21 (45.7%) |
 Private donations | 6 (35.3%) | 3 (27.3%) | 5 (45.5%) | 6 (85.7%) | 20 (43.5%) |
 Government support | 2 (11.8%) | 2 (18.2%) | 2 (18.2%) | 0 (0%) | 6 (13.0%) |
 Student secured funding | 0 (0%) | 1 (9.1%) | 1 (9.1%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (4.3%) |