Research at Unity Health’s Providence Healthcare is getting a boost from a new fellowship opportunity for rehabilitation graduate students.

The Graduate Training Award from Unity Health Toronto/Providence Healthcare and the University of Toronto’s Rehabilitation Sciences Institute is an opportunity for RSI graduate trainees to pursue a two-year research fellowship program at Providence Healthcare, under the supervision of Unity Health Toronto scientists.

As one of Ontario’s largest post-acute hospitals, Providence Healthcare is dedicated to holistic rehabilitation care to support patients as they transition from the hospital to their homes. The fellowship is a chance for selected students to conduct innovative research that will enhance Providence’s rehabilitation programs.

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They will receive up to $50,000 during the course of their fellowship, and up to four awards will be funded in a three-year period, pending funding. The majority of the fellows’ research will be conducted at Providence Healthcare.

“We are very excited to launch the new research fellowship in rehabilitation science at Providence,” said Dr. Ashley Verduyn, vice-president of medical affairs and chief of Providence.

“By giving talented graduate students the time, resources, and mentorship to pursue innovative rehabilitation research, we can strengthen the care we provide to patients at Providence. Their research will help patients achieve their goals, restore confidence and independence, and create a lasting impact well beyond our walls.”

Trixie Williams, vice-president clinical, rehabilitation and transitions, said the fellowships will help train the next generation of rehabilitation researchers while directly advancing patient care.

“By fostering innovation and discovery, it ensures our programs continue to evolve to meet the complex needs of patients,” she said. “Most importantly, it bridges research and practice in a way that will transform recovery, independence, and quality of life for years to come.”

Graduate students Harja Turabi and Gabrielle Tsai are the inaugural fellows and are starting their fellowships in the fall. Learn more about their backgrounds and research areas of focus:

Name: Hajra Turabi

Research focus: Under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Watt, my research will focus on understanding the fear of falling among older adults, something that is often underestimated by has significant implications for health and independence. Falls are one of the leading causes of injury in older populations, but beyond the physical consequences, the mental impact can be just as debilitating. Our research aims to explore how healthcare providers can best support people with a fear of falling. By identifying interventions that reduce people’s risk of falling, we hope to inform evidence-based guidelines that support healthcare teams in delivering compassionate, tailored care. Ultimately, our goal is to empower older adults to maintain independence, confidence in their abilities, and improve their quality of life.

What made you want to apply for RSI-Providence award?

My motivation came from my commitment to patient-centered care. I have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree with experience working in hospital and pharmacy settings, and I’ve seen firsthand the importance education and rehabilitation play in a patient’s recovery, particularly after serious medical events. I’ve seen how deeply health challenges can affect a patient’s confidence and well-being, and I believe we can offer stronger support. This award allows me to bring my skills into rehabilitation, serving the community with compassion and purpose.

It also gives me a platform to contribute to meaningful research that can improve real-world outcomes for patients, especially older adults. I’m inspired by Providence Healthcare’s commitment to innovation and am honored to be part of that mission.

Name: Gabrielle Tsai

Research focus: Under the supervision of Dr. Joanna Sale, my research focuses on improving rehabilitation care for older adults with fragility fractures by evaluating the clinical and demographic factors that influence fracture care and outcomes before and after the introduction of the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) program at Providence Healthcare. Fragility fractures are a major cause of reduced function, increased mortality, and high healthcare costs in older populations, yet many patients do not receive timely osteoporosis assessment or treatment, especially in post-acute rehabilitation settings.

Based on the outcome data we collect, I will evaluate how FLS influences rates of pharmacological treatment initiation and bone mineral density (BMD) testing, while identifying key predictors such as age, sex, comorbidities, fracture type, socioeconomic status, and family history. In parallel, I will examine process-level challenges and compile best practices to help clinicians manage bone health during rehabilitation.

My long-term goal is to develop a framework that supports consistent, evidence-informed fracture care in rehabilitation hospitals across Canada—enhancing care coordination, reducing future fracture risk, and improving recovery outcomes for older adults.

Why did you apply for the RSI-Providence award?

I applied for the award because I want to leverage the skills, mentorship, and resources of RSI to conduct the highest-quality research at Providence Healthcare. As the top rehabilitation science institute in the world, RSI offers unparalleled opportunities for training and collaboration, and I am excited to strengthen the connection between RSI and Providence while contributing to a vibrant trainee culture at both sites.

For the past year, I have been working at Providence under the supervision of Dr. Joanna Sale to implement Fracture Liaison Service (FLS)—an internationally endorsed model of care designed to improve post-fracture outcomes. This is the first known application of FLS in a rehabilitation setting, and Providence is an ideal site for this work given its large proportion of older adults with fragility fractures who are at high risk for future fractures. I love working here because of the truly interdisciplinary teams that support patients as well as their caregivers and families. Rehabilitation is often not just about physical recovery, but also about rediscovering how to live a meaningful life with a new condition.

By Marlene Leung

Photos by Kevin Van Paassen

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