Boost MedTech Training Program-
Spring 2026 Competition
THIS EDITION OF THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
COME BACK IN SPRING 2027 FOR THE THIRD EDITION OF THE CONTEST.
WHAT IS THE BOOST MEDTECH PROGRAM?
The Boost MedTech program – funded by NSERC – aims to prepare, support, and promote graduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in the medical technologies field.
The program offers students:
- Experienced training in the development of innovative medical technology solutions
- Field-based learning of co-design approaches and methods
- A personalized Advisory Committee, defined jointly with the student, to provide guidance and give them access to an intersectoral professional network in their areas of interest: academic, medical, clinical, industrial, and entrepreneurial
- Supplementary financial compensation to allow students to focus on their studies
Boost MedTech leads to a graduate microprogram certification (12 credits) – Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Innovation in MedTech. The program develops students’ transversal skills in innovation and project management. The certification signals to future employers that graduates are trained for seamless integration into interdisciplinary teams, where they will be able to contribute to the inclusive, responsible, and effective development of innovative medical technologies.
- Inclusive through teachings aligned with the Living Lab and co-development methodologies, involving all stakeholders in healthcare innovation (researchers, clinicians, patients, managers, industry partners, students, etc.);
- Responsible through education in research ethics, enabling a better understanding of cultural realities, socio-economic contexts, gender, age, and ability considerations; leading to sustainable and socially beneficial innovations;
- Effective through a solid understanding of the medtech development lifecycle, including design and development, risk management, business planning, technological transfer strategies and validation and adoption processes; supported by applied training in regulatory requirements to ensure that key criterions for a successful deployment are addressed from the point of conception of the project.
Boost MedTech aims to train a new generation of innovators in medical technologies who will be able to analyze healthcare needs using a systemic approach and develop user-centric solutions. To achieve this, the program emphasizes on professional training and practical learning experiences such as a field experience to better understand challenges related to accessibility, interoperability and implementation of innovations. Finally, the program prepares students for the future challenges of the medtech sector by empowering them with the tools necessary to manage complex projects while supporting the development of their professional network (local and international) and encouraging leadership and responsible innovation.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS
1. A non-exhaustive list of eligible courses can be found in the Boost MedTech Training Program Guide (Application tab). Additional courses deemed relevant by the program committee may be proposed by the student. Students may also obtain credit for courses they have already completed.
2. Refer to the Funding tab for details.
The Boost MedTech program is an initiative of the TransMedTech Institute and, as such, benefits from privileged access to a vast network of professionals from its partner universities and hospitals (Polytechnique Montréal, Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal, McGill University, Université Laval – CHU Sainte-Justine, CHUM, Jewish General Hospital of Montréal, IUGM, and ICM), and numerous other affiliated academic and clinical research centers, medtech companies, and entrepreneurship resources. Students will be able to rely on TransMedTech to connect them with dedicated professionals for their Advisory Committee, as well as to offer unique field experience opportunities tailored to their interests. The program also allows candidates and their supervisors to propose their own collaborators and field experiences.
IMPORTANT DATES
- Information session: Thursday April, 16th 2026, 1pm via Teams
- Application deadline: May, 15th 2026, 12pm EDT (Montréal time) – (EXTENSION UNTIL 25 May at noon)
- Start date of the training program (2nd cohort): September, 1st 2026
a) Student already admitted and enrolled full time in a research-based master’s or doctoral program in one of the five Universities (Polytechnique Montréal, University of Montréal, McGill University, Laval University, HEC Montréal)
- For the master’s degree: starting in Winter 2026 or Summer 2026
- For the doctorate: starting in Winter, Summer or Fall 2025, Winter or Summer 2026
b) Permanent residents, Canadian citizens, and international students are eligible to apply, subject to the administrative rules governing the use of NSERC funds in higher education institutions in Quebec and Canada, which are subject to change.
c) Understanding French is required to participate in the courses and madantory workshops of the program
ELIGIBLE RESEARCH PROJECTS (master’s or PhD)
- The project must be part of one of the TransMedTech Institute’s 4 priority technological sectors and must be carried out primarily using a living lab approach
- To ensure the transdisciplinarity of the training program and the projects, the projects must be directed by a director and a co-director from different and complementary disciplines.
The supervisor must be a regular full-time professor or researcher
The Boost MedTech program aims to ensure that students can focus on their studies by providing access to financial resources that enable them to incorporate the training into their research-based degree program.
This is why it is expected that students receive funding of at least $27,000 per year for 2 years at the research master’s level and $40,000 per year for 3 years at the PhD level. The Boost MedTech scholarships*, however, cannot represent more than 40% of this amount, that is a maximum of $10,800 per year for 2 years at the master’s level and $16,000 per year for 3 years at the PhD level.
These scholarships represent additional financial support, but students must benefit from other primary funding sources such as an external scholarship and/or financial support from their supervisory team and/or external partners.
During their participation in the program (2 years at the master’s level and 3 years at the PhD level), students must therefore already have secured minimum funding of $16,200 per year at the master’s level and $24,000 per year at the PhD level.
In addition, all students are eligible for mobility allowances to cover costs associated with their field experience, up to a maximum of:
- 500$ for travel within Quebec (excluding Montreal)
- 1 000$ for travel to the rest of Canada
- 2 000$ for international travel
* defined as an amount granted as financial assistance
- Academic record, experience and competencies
- Quality of the project
- Motivation for the Boost MedTech training program, inclusive R&D and experiential learning
- Career objectives
A detailed evaluation grid is presented in the Guide – Boost MedTech training program.
Thursday April 16th, 1pm via Teams
PLEASE NOTE:
For this competition, the number of applications in which a professor serves as director is limited to 2 at master’s students and 2 PhD students. This also applies to the same tandem (Director/Co-Director) as professors.
APPLICATION
For full details of the Boost MedTech training program – Spring competition 2026, with regards to admission requirements and steps to follow, please consult :
The application file must include the following:
- Application form (.word)
- University transcripts
RESULTS
Applications will be evaluated confidentially by a committee of external experts according to the criteria and weightings described in the Guide – Boost MedTech training program. The selection of successful applications will be based on this evaluation, the available budget, and the financial arrangements presented.
Candidates will be notified of a decision at the end of the evaluation process (mid June 2026).
