Welcome to the Emerging Scholar podcast, a space designed for graduate students, medical trainees, residents, and fellows who are beginning their journey toward their first scientific project—and beyond.
Hosted by Dr. John McGavock from the University of Manitoba, this podcast supports you in building the foundational skills needed for strong, meaningful research. Across our episodes, we guide you through the essentials: developing compelling research questions, finding and interpreting the best evidence, working with data, building analytical frameworks, and choosing the right methods to answer your questions. We also emphasize equity, inclusion, and diversity, helping you embed these principles into your work from the start.
Season One laid the groundwork—covering the core elements of research training and connecting you with a range of emerging and established scholars. Now, in Season Two, we dig deeper—focusing on mastering the craft by unpacking these methods, exploring their nuances and challenges, and highlighting the exciting possibilities they offer.
You’ll hear from researchers working across diverse fields—from natural experiments and causal inference to qualitative inquiry rooted in social justice and the evolving field of implementation science. Along the way, we showcase Canadian research excellence, highlight the importance of patient engagement, and celebrate the curiosity that drives scientific discovery.
Whether you’re designing your first study, refining your methods, or simply passionate about rigorous and impactful research, this podcast is here to support and inspire you.
Stay curious—and let’s continue building the skills that shape your scientific journey.
Be sure to check out our new Substack and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to get episodes delivered direct!
Music for the series is provided by Osani Balkaran.
Hosts
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Dr. Jon McGavock, Host and Executive Producer
Jon is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba and researcher at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. He co-leads the Canadian Network for Pediatric Resident Research that creates resources and opportunities for scholarly achievement for Pediatric Residents across the country. His own research lab makes discoveries that will advance the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes youth, with a particular focus on health equity and justice for structurally oppressed families.
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Jared McKetiak, Producer
Jared McKetiak has been the Station Manager at UMFM 101.5 for 24 years after getting his start with the station as a volunteer in 1999.
He's fiercely passionate about independent media, has sat on boards for a number of arts and community based not-for-profits and is committed to giving back to the amazing city that he lives in. He's a husband, father to two, and his pets, playing hockey, watching baseball, strong coffee, good beer and great music of all sorts are what makes him happy!
Episodes
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Season 2, Episode 8: The World as Our Laboratory: Natural Experiments and the Science of Causality with Dr. Claire Boone
What if the most powerful experiments in science aren’t designed in a lab—but by life itself? On episode 8 of season 2, Dr. Claire Boone joins us to explain how natural experiments can unlock powerful insights about health, behaviour, and causal inference. It's another brilliant conversation, and a sharp reminder that trans-formative research often begins by treating the world itself as a laboratory. Read more ›
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Season 2, Episode 7: Data Sovereignty and Storytelling: Rethinking Indigenous Health Research with Dr. Jennifer Walker
Who owns health data—and who gets to tell the story it shapes? On episode 7 of season 2, Dr. Jennifer Walker challenges us to rethink administrative health research through the lens of Indigenous data sovereignty and equity. It’s a powerful conversation about moving from extraction to partnership in the pursuit of better health for First Nations communities. Read more ›
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Season 2, Episode 6: The Power of Administrative Health Data with Dr. Eric Benchimol
Administrative health data is everywhere — but using it well is the hard part. On episode 6 of season 2, Dr. Eric Benchimol joins us to help break down how routinely collected data, rigorous reporting, and modern analytics can transform population health research. We explore the power, limitations, and future of administrative health data, touching on the reporting standards and machine learning approaches that are helping to shape modern population health research on this great episode that will be key to you as you continue on your scholarly journey! Read more ›
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Season 2, Episode 5: From Questions to Confidence: Mastering Evidence-Based Methods with Dr. Romina Brignardello-Peterson
How do we know when evidence is strong enough to guide real-world decisions? Find out on episode 5 of season 2 as we break down systematic reviews and the GRADE approach—the gold standards behind evidence-based medicine, with another fantastic scholar from McMaster University, Dr. Romina Brignardello-Peterson! We'll also discuss the critical role of assessing certainty in evidence and how it shapes clinical practice, for anyone navigating their first systematic review or grappling with conflicting studies, episode 5 provides actionable guidance and some expert tips that will prove invaluable as you continue your scientific journey! Read more ›
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Season 2, Episode 4: Designing Clinical Trials That Matter with Dr. Lauren Kelly
In episode 4 of season 2 of the Emerging Scholar, we're joined by my CHRIM colleague Dr. Lauren Kelly to discuss the evolving landscape of pediatric and perinatal clinical trials, from innovative trial designs to research on cannabinoid use in children and pregnancy. She also highlights how national research networks are opening the door for early-career scholars to lead impactful clinical trials sooner than ever. Read more ›
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Season 2, Episode 3: How Well Designed Cohort Studies Shape Global Health Equity with Dr. Sonia Anand
What does it take to build cohort studies that change global health? We'll find out on episode 3 of season 2, as we are joined by Dr. Sonia Anand! Dr. Anand will share how decades of groundbreaking research have shaped our understanding of health inequities, cardiovascular disease, and the power of population-level science. Read more ›
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Season 2, Episode 2: Building Cohorts That Drive Impactful Change in Communities with Professor Rosie McEachan
On Episode 2 of season 2, we’re joined by Professor Rosie McEachan, Director of the Born in Bradford research program—an internationally recognized, people-powered cohort study that has followed the lives of more than 15,000 families in Bradford, England. A proud Scottish Bradfordian and leading applied health researcher, Professor McEachan discusses how large-scale birth and pregnancy cohorts can drive real-world impact, from improving maternal and child health to shaping public policy. Read more ›
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Season 2, Episode 1: A Framework For Building Better Research Questions with Dr. Megan Peters
Welcome to you Season Two of the Emerging Scholar Podcast! If Season One was about laying the foundation for your research journey, the Season Two is about mastering the craft. We've got a great lineup of guests to introduce you to this season, and we're super excited to kick things off with the amazing Dr. Megan Peters! Read more ›
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Bonus Episode 4: A Conversation with Dr. Elissa Abrams
In our fourth, and final, bonus episode before Season Two drops on January 5th, we’re excited to share a fascinating interview recorded this fall with Dr. Elissa Abrams, a leading pediatric allergist and asthma specialist and colleague of mine at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Pediatrics and Child Health. Read more ›
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Bonus Episode 3: A Conversation with Dr. Evelyn Forget
On our third bonus episode we sit down with Dr. Evelyn Forget—a trailblazing health economist, respected professor at the University of Manitoba, and one of the world’s leading experts on basic income policy. For decades, Dr. Forget has dedicated her career to understanding how economic security shapes our health and our communities. Her influential research on the long-running “Mincome” experiment in Dauphin, Manitoba in the 1970's revealed powerful evidence: when people are guaranteed a stable income, their health improves, educational outcomes rise, and entire communities become more resilient. Read more ›