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Program Structure

Program Structure

All sMAP graduate trainees will complete required courses and milestones as mandated by the respective graduate program of the respective departments or unit in which they are enrolled. To obtain the sMAP certificate, each trainee will be required to participate in modules that are cohesively designed for the training program. A roadmap of the sMAP training program can be found in the figure below.

Observership and Lab Rotations

Every trainee, including both MS and PhD students, is required to dedicate a minimum of 20 hours in the following activities:

  1. Observing healthcare professionals (e.g., physicians, nursing staff, physiotherapists, or occupational therapists), patients, or residents at a partner care or treatment facility. Interactions with old adults in a research project also count towards Observership hours.
  2. Participating in a volunteering program, such as meals-on-wheels or DARTS.
  3. Engaging in laboratory work in the field of engineering or science, beyond their primary affiliation.

Out of these 20 hours, a minimum of 10 hours should be allocated to activities in categories (1) and/or (2) combined

A Two-Part 6-Unit Credit Course

The courses aims to provide both foundational knowledge and practical experiences centered around mobility challenges faced by older adults. PhD students are expected to take both parts of the courses. Master’s candidates are required to take Part 1 only.

Public Symposium

Student-centered public symposiums will be organized yearly to highlight the research conducted by the trainees, exchange ideas and get feedback from communities and industrial partners, and provide networking opportunities.

Hackathon

We will organize annual hackathons to come up with innovative hardware and software solutions to issues related to the care and mobility of older adults.

Mentorship and Networking

Facilitated through linkage between sMAP trainees, peer mentorship will enable effective integration of new trainees within the sMAP program, transfer knowledge to future HQP, connect them with existing networking groups, and promote leadership skills.