The Gastroenterology Residents-in-Training (GRIT) Course is held in conjunction with CDDW™. The intensive, three-day course is designed to provide trainees with the chance to:
- present their data orally or as a poster
- cover timely topics of interest and obtain up-to-date information in a context that allows critical evaluation
- interact and network with other residents - an opportunity rarely available given the size of the country, AND
- interact closely with a small number of recognized, effective Canadian teachers.
Application Requirements
- Applicants must be a CAG Trainee Member at time of application or have applied by October 22, 2019. There is no cost for this.
- The GRIT program is intended for GI residents in their 1st and 2nd year of training.
- All applicants must identify themselves as the abstract’s presenting author in order to be considered for this course
- DEADLINE: The deadline for electronic abstract submission is October 15 11:59 PM ET. Please note that if you begin your abstract submission on October 15th and run into any technical difficulties, you may not be able to access technical support. It is advisable to start the submission process well in advance of October 15th. The site will close at exactly 11:59 PM ET on October 15th – if you are in the system at that time and have not completed your submission you will be frozen out and your submission will not be completed or accepted.
- GRIT is a competitive program with limited space. Invitations will be issued to individuals whose abstract is selected by the review committee. Abstracts must contain original research with results reviewers can evaluate (‘results to follow/to be presented’ is not acceptable); case reports that include review of the literature will be considered for 1st year residents only.
- Only new data that has NOT been previously published or presented at another meeting may be submitted. If you add new data/findings to your previously published/presented abstract then it is eligible for submission to both GRIT and CDDW™.
- Registration to attend CDDW™ is required and is a separate process from submitting an abstract. You do not need to register for CDDW™ prior to submitting your abstract, however if you are the presenting author, and your abstract is accepted to the meeting you must register for CDDW™ prior to December 15 (conference registration fee is $75 plus applicable taxes for CAG trainee members).
- If your abstract is selected for the GRIT program (and you in turn accept the invitation to attend) your supervisor will be notified of any absence you have from the GRIT program and they will in turn be invoiced $500 per day (or any portion thereof) that you miss. Space is limited and the organizers wish to ensure that only those committed to attending the program in its entirety submit an abstract/accept the invitation to participate in the GRIT Program (the approximate cost for CAG for each participant is $2000).
- A $40.00 (US dollars, tax included) submission fee must be paid for the abstract to be considered. You will be prompted in Step 6 of the submission process to pay online (Visa, MasterCard). Please read the 'no refunds' policy prior to submitting your payment.
- You MUST include a letter, and will be prompted to do so during your abstract submission, from your Program Director or GI Department Head which: 1) confirms the program in which you are registered and your year of training, e.g. PGY level, and 2) confirms that he/she has reviewed, and approved your abstract submission and acknowledges that you have done the majority of the work.
- Only one (1) GRIT abstract submission per applicant.
- Your GRIT abstract will automatically be submitted to the CORE program, DO NOT submit the abstract to the CORE program as well.
- In submitting your GRIT abstract you are agreeing (if accepted) to attend and present your abstract at the CORE CDDW™ Meeting.
Policy for Reimbursement
Airfare:
The lowest cost economy-class flight fare will be booked through the CDDW™ travel agent, Tourmasters Travel (a link will be provided for you to submit travel request details). Tourmasters will then look for options matching your request and will contact you to confirm your flights which will be billed to the CAG master account. Login details will be provided closer to CDDW™. As flights are lowest fare economy class, they are neither changeable nor upgradeable, thus please carefully consider your departure and arrival times before confirming to Tourmasters Travel. Any cancellations/changes thereafter (and subsequent fees) will be your responsibility.
Accommodation:
Accommodation must be booked through the CDDW™ event planner. This event company will contact you regarding your desired length of stay. The CAG will cover your accommodation (base room rate + tax) for the nights of the GRIT Course with additional nights being at your expense. Note: accommodation will be shared for GRIT, Scholars' and Research Topics trainees/students. You are responsible for any and all incidental costs charged to your room.
Ground Transportation:
GRIT Course trainees/students will be responsible for paying their own ground transportation and will not subsequently be reimbursed for this expense.
Honoraria:
Honoraria are not provided for faculty of the GRIT Course.
Meals:
Meals will be provided for the duration of the GRIT Course. Hence, additional meals should not be required and will not be reimbursed.
Spouses:
The CAG will not reimburse any costs related to spouses or guests – accommodation must be arranged on your own.
The lowest cost economy-class flight fare will be booked through the CDDW™ travel agent, Tourmasters Travel (a link will be provided for you to submit travel request details). Tourmasters will then look for options matching your request and will contact you to confirm your flights which will be billed to the CAG master account. Login details will be provided closer to CDDW™. As flights are lowest fare economy class, they are neither changeable nor upgradeable, thus please carefully consider your departure and arrival times before confirming to Tourmasters Travel. Any cancellations/changes thereafter (and subsequent fees) will be your responsibility.
Accommodation:
Accommodation must be booked through the CDDW™ event planner. This event company will contact you regarding your desired length of stay. The CAG will cover your accommodation (base room rate + tax) for the nights of the GRIT Course with additional nights being at your expense. Note: accommodation will be shared for GRIT, Scholars' and Research Topics trainees/students. You are responsible for any and all incidental costs charged to your room.
Ground Transportation:
GRIT Course trainees/students will be responsible for paying their own ground transportation and will not subsequently be reimbursed for this expense.
Honoraria:
Honoraria are not provided for faculty of the GRIT Course.
Meals:
Meals will be provided for the duration of the GRIT Course. Hence, additional meals should not be required and will not be reimbursed.
Spouses:
The CAG will not reimburse any costs related to spouses or guests – accommodation must be arranged on your own.
Abstract Submission Process
Step One: Abstract Submission - Deadline is October 15 11:59 PM ET
Candidates are required to submit an abstract using the CDDW™ online abstract system. All policies and procedures for submitting abstracts are outlined on the online abstract system.
- If you are logging-in (see link below) for the first time to submit an abstract, once in the site, choose "Create an Account" from the left-hand menu bar and create a User ID and Password for direct log in on future visits to the site. If you have previously been in the system related to an abstract submission please use your existing User ID and Password.
- To submit to the GRIT Course, enter the site through the link below (then enter your User ID and Password).
- Once in the CORE abstract system, review the “Abstract Submission, Instructions for Authors” information carefully before preparing and submitting your abstract.
- Click on the "Submission" tab from the menu.
- Click on "Create New Submission" link on the left hand side.
- Click on "Abstract Submission for GRIT" radio button.
- Once in the GRIT abstract system, please review the GRIT Abstract Submission Instructions carefully before preparing and submitting your abstract.
- Please ensure that all required fields are completed and that the information you provide is correct.
- Verify that the email that you enter for the presenting author is correct, as this will be used for all future correspondence regarding your submission. PLEASE DO NOT use a 'hotmail' address, as it is unlikely that subsequent email correspondence from the CAG regarding your submission will reach you.
Abstract System is OPEN
Step Two: Review
Abstracts will be reviewed by the GRIT Course Committee.
Step Three: Approval
The CAG will contact all candidates to advise if successful or not. The abstracts that are accepted to the GRIT Course are also considered for presentation at CDDW™.
CONGRATULATIONS to all of the 2019 GRIT winners for their exceptional presentations!
Best Oral Presenters:
Anne Hu, McMaster University
Hassan Azhari, University of Calgary
David Rodrigues, Queen’s University
Best Poster Presenters:
Farah Faytrouni, University of British Columbia
Daniel Mulder, McMaster University
ThucNhi Dang, University of Alberta
Catherine Langevin, Université de MontréalPoster Session ll – Scholars’ Choice Award
Scholars’ Chair, Steven Gruchy with the Scholars’ Choice winner Felipe Briglia, University of British Columbia
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Ivan T. Beck Memorial Lectureship
GRIT Chair, Dr. Robert Berger with 2019 Ivan Beck Memorial Lecturer Dr. Frank Schweiger
The Ivan T. Beck Memorial Lectureship is an annual lecture presented at the GRIT course by the deserving lecturer selected by the GRIT Organizing Committee.
Dr. Ivan Thomas Beck, a ‘founding father’ of CAG, passed away on November 6th, 2010. Dr. Beck was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1924. He received his MD degree from the University of Geneva in 1949 and subsequently emigrated to Canada where he completed both his post-graduate clinical training and PhD at McGill University. He then took up a faculty position in the Department of Pharmacology at McGill from 1958-66. He was recruited to Queen’s University in 1966 to head up a new Digestive Diseases Unit at Hotel Dieu Hospital. He remained an active faculty member at Queen’s until his death 45 years later.
Dr. Beck’s passion for the science and practice of Gastroenterology was unparalleled, and this translated into a career spanning over 50 years and marked by extraordinary accomplishments. While at McGill he established the first clinical gastrointestinal motility laboratory in Canada. Shortly after arriving at Queen’s he created a clinical unit that integrated nurses, dieticians and other allied health members into decision-making. This collaborative care model was decades ahead of its time. He was an outstanding researcher, holding continuous funding from the Medical Research Council (now the Canadian Institutes of Health Research) for over 30 years and publishing close to 250 peer-reviewed papers, reviews and book chapters during his career. In addition to seminal basic science work on pancreatitis, small bowel absorptive function, intestinal microcirculation and the pathophysiology of alcohol-induced small bowel injury, he made numerous clinical research contributions in areas as diverse as noncardiac chest pain and cholera. In later years, he became interested in the history of medicine and published several scholarly works in this area. Indeed, he served as the CAG archivist for over 20 years, during which time he meticulously documented the history of the CAG and Canadian Gastroenterology.
Dr. Beck was also an outstanding clinician and educator, winning numerous national and international awards. His track record as clinician-scientist and educator translated into visiting professorships in countries on every continent. Despite all these accolades, he was most proud of his mentorship of countless clinicians and scientists over the course of his career, many of whom went on to distinguished careers of their own.
Dr. Beck took on numerous administrative and leadership roles during his career. He worked tirelessly for the CAG since its inception in 1962, serving as the first secretary of the Association and then as President in 1967-68. In 1994 he also co-founded the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF). Despite all these achievements in his professional life, he maintained numerous outside interests. He was a gifted painter, avid reader, sailor and swimmer, and a dedicated family man. His passing marked the end of an era in Canadian Gastroenterology. He is dearly missed by his family, friends and colleagues from around the world.
Dr. Ivan Thomas Beck, a ‘founding father’ of CAG, passed away on November 6th, 2010. Dr. Beck was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1924. He received his MD degree from the University of Geneva in 1949 and subsequently emigrated to Canada where he completed both his post-graduate clinical training and PhD at McGill University. He then took up a faculty position in the Department of Pharmacology at McGill from 1958-66. He was recruited to Queen’s University in 1966 to head up a new Digestive Diseases Unit at Hotel Dieu Hospital. He remained an active faculty member at Queen’s until his death 45 years later.
Dr. Beck’s passion for the science and practice of Gastroenterology was unparalleled, and this translated into a career spanning over 50 years and marked by extraordinary accomplishments. While at McGill he established the first clinical gastrointestinal motility laboratory in Canada. Shortly after arriving at Queen’s he created a clinical unit that integrated nurses, dieticians and other allied health members into decision-making. This collaborative care model was decades ahead of its time. He was an outstanding researcher, holding continuous funding from the Medical Research Council (now the Canadian Institutes of Health Research) for over 30 years and publishing close to 250 peer-reviewed papers, reviews and book chapters during his career. In addition to seminal basic science work on pancreatitis, small bowel absorptive function, intestinal microcirculation and the pathophysiology of alcohol-induced small bowel injury, he made numerous clinical research contributions in areas as diverse as noncardiac chest pain and cholera. In later years, he became interested in the history of medicine and published several scholarly works in this area. Indeed, he served as the CAG archivist for over 20 years, during which time he meticulously documented the history of the CAG and Canadian Gastroenterology.
Dr. Beck was also an outstanding clinician and educator, winning numerous national and international awards. His track record as clinician-scientist and educator translated into visiting professorships in countries on every continent. Despite all these accolades, he was most proud of his mentorship of countless clinicians and scientists over the course of his career, many of whom went on to distinguished careers of their own.
Dr. Beck took on numerous administrative and leadership roles during his career. He worked tirelessly for the CAG since its inception in 1962, serving as the first secretary of the Association and then as President in 1967-68. In 1994 he also co-founded the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF). Despite all these achievements in his professional life, he maintained numerous outside interests. He was a gifted painter, avid reader, sailor and swimmer, and a dedicated family man. His passing marked the end of an era in Canadian Gastroenterology. He is dearly missed by his family, friends and colleagues from around the world.
Previous Ivan T. Beck Memorial Lecturers
| Year | Name | Lecture Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Jamie Gregor | Three Decades of Debunking Dogma |
| 2017 | Kenneth Croitoru | A journey in a yellow wood – a road less travelled |
| 2016 | Charles Bernstein | Using Epidemiology to Pursue Etiology in IBD |
| 2015 | Stephen Collins | IBS and Me |
| 2014 | Alan Barkun | Am I Really Managing Patients with Upper GI Bleeding in an Evidence Based Manner? |
| 2013 | Jonathan Meddings | Careers in Gastroenterology- and an introduction to the leaky gut |
| 2012 | Eve Roberts | How Do We Think about Science? |
| 2011 | William Paterson | Etiopathogenesis of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Information in Search of Knowledge |
| 2010 | Norman Marcon | Advancing the Endoscopic Limits: ESD or EMR for the Management of Esophageal Dysplasia and Early Cancer |
| 2009 | Peter Durie | Cystic Fibrosis – Current Understanding and Emerging Challenges |
| 2008 | Desmond Leddin | Ethical Obligations and National Borders |
| 2007 | Alan BR Thomson | Standing on the Shoulders of Giants |
| 2006 | Gary Levy | Reflections on a Career in Research in Gastroenterology: Moving from Me to We |
| 2005 | Khursheed Jeejeebhoy | Teaching: Why and How |
| 2004 | Richard Hamilton | Beyond the Cocoon: Some Plain Talk about Careers |
| 2003 | Richard Hunt | Evidence Based Gastroenterology: Expectations and Realities |
| 2002 | Jenny Heathcote | A Prescription for an Exciting Career in Academic Medicine |
| 2001 | W Grant Thompson | TLC (Tender Loving Care) |
| 2000 | C Noel Williams | Crohn’s Disease through the Ages |
| 1999 | Eldon Shaffer | Technology in Gastroenterology: Friend or Foe? |
| 1998 | J Joseph Connon | The Teaching of Teachers |
| 1997 | Claude Roy | Effect of Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency and Peroxidized Lipids on Peroxisomal Function |
| 1996 | Carl Goresky | Training of Future Academic Gastroenterologists: Is It Still Possible? (Due to Dr. Goresky’s illness Dr. J. Joseph Connon delivered the Lecture) |