Upon receiving their approval letters and sharing the exciting news of the award with their community, the PSI Knowledge Translation (KT) Fellows begin preparing to get settled in their place at the starting line. As Dr. Archna Gupta embarks on her KT Fellowship journey, we asked her a few questions to know her beyond her recipient biography, as well as some notes she could pass on to future applicants.
Please use 3 words to describe how you feel as you begin your KT Fellowship.
- Appreciative
- Excited
- Driven
Why did you apply for the PSI Graham Farquharson KT Fellowship? How does this award align with your current research and career goals?
With 15 years of experience as a comprehensive family physician in both community and academic environments, often serving underserved populations, I have seen how gaps in primary care can impact population health. Despite clear evidence that strong primary care leads to better health equity, is cost-effective, and keeps people healthier, Ontario’s primary care system still faces significant gaps. Many Ontarians continue to have difficulty finding a primary care provider or accessing the care they need when they need it.
I applied for the PSI Graham Farquharson Knowledge Translation Fellowship because it offers essential support for clinicians like me to address these challenges. To use my clinical and my health system experience to ask important questions and to help find solutions that can have an impact. This fellowship provides me with protected time to focus on research and knowledge translation activities, allowing me to contribute to policy development, foster collaboration, and drive meaningful improvements in Ontario’s primary care system. This aligns strongly with my ongoing research and career goals, which center on advancing health equity and enhancing primary care for all Ontarians.
What are 3 to 5 general tips and notes you would pass on to those preparing their KT Fellowship application?
- Highlight the ways you intend to incorporate knowledge translation into your projects.
- Evaluate whether your plans are practical and consider how collaborating with others can help ensure their success.
- Seek out mentors who can support you throughout your fellowship journey.
