Deconstruct to Reconstruct: Patient Engagement Training Series

Initiated after a POPCORN needs assessment survey identified patient engagement training as a significant research education gap. Patient and family partners co-led working groups and sub-committees to address agreed-upon themes for the training sessions. Group meetings were held once per month, and sub-committee meetings were also held to develop the training. The objective of attending the training series is to prepare researchers, research staff, and trainees with the mindset and practical skills to engage patient and family partners in research.

Project Aim: To deliver patient engagement training to empower researchers, research staff, and trainees with practical skills to meaningfully engage patient and family partners in research.

Project Objectives:

Empower patient and family partners to co-develop and co-deliver the training material with researchers
Prepare researchers, research staff, and trainees with the mindset and practical skills for engaging patient and family partners in research
Create a sustainable patient engagement training in French and English
Evaluate the co-creation process and training content to identify lessons learned

How Are We Doing It?

Offered as a series of three, free one-hour virtual interactive sessions, which were presented live and recorded for future use. French subtitled recordings and participant guides are available for self-study. Presentation materials (recordings and presentation material) are available on the POPCORN website in both official languages. Participants from coast to coast will be engaged through interactive exercises developed and led by those with lived and living experience.

When Will I Be Needed?

These sessions are interactive with breakout sessions.

Zoom links are shared below to attend:

Moderator: Michelle Quinlan
Speakers: Isra Amdsr, Amanda St. Denis
Breakout Group Facilitators: Isra Amdsr, Amanda St. Denis, Michelle Quinlan
Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Time: 12:00pm EST
Access the Self-Study Materials Here
Aim: To “deconstruct” previous methods of patient engagement by utilizing anonymous stories from patient and family partners – highlighting both the positives and negatives.
Session Learning Objectives :
1. Deconstruct previous ideas of patient engagement and identify misconceptions about patient engagement
2. Understand that “tick the box” training does not fully encompass what patient engagement really means
3. Identify the harm that can emerge from tokenistic patient engagement
4. Explore examples of authentic, reciprocal patient engagement that model meaningful practice
Format Breakdown:
- Videos
- View videos (describing varying experiences) as large group
- Small group activity
- Opportunity for participants to “deconstruct” the videos
- Large group discussion
- Guided conversation around insights from small group activity
Moderator: Michelle Quinlan
Speakers: Abigail McClusky, Anne Marie-Portelli
Breakout Group Facilitators: Abigail McClusky, Anne Marie-Portelli, Michelle Quinlan, Dalya Kablawi, Francine Buchanan
Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026
Time: 12:00pm EST
Access the Self-Study Materials Here
Aim: Explore how communication between researchers and patient and family partners can be used as a tool for effective patient engagement
Session Learning Objectives :
1. Understand the influence of communication on effective engagement
2. Rethink the relationship dynamic between researchers and patient and family partners
3. Identify ways to create accessible, inclusionary, empathetic spaces
Format Breakdown:
- Large group introduction to the topic
- What is effective lived experience engagement? What is communication in this context? How does one influence the other?
- Small group activity
- Reader’s Theatreexploring a lived experience perspective following research engagement
- Large group discussion
- Guided conversation around insights from small group activity
Moderator: Michelle Quinlan
Speakers and Breakout Group Facilitators: Cedar Davidson, Amanda Doherty-Kirby, Becky Conia, Sarah Mooney, Suzanne Deliscar
Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Time: 12:00pm EST
Access the Self-Study Materials Here
Aim: Explore practical tools and strategies to strengthen patient engagement in research and apply key considerations for developing an effective engagement plan.
Session Learning Objectives :
1. Outline actionable ways and share tools that clinicians/research teams can use to create meaningful engagement
2. Explain the value and impact of patient and family partners
3. Describe the logistics of where and how to start building relationships
4. Discuss recognition, appreciation, compensation, and other budget expenses
5. Apply how to report and evaluate your engagement
Format Breakdown:
- Large group introduction to the topic
- 1) Building engagement partnerships; 2) Barriers, solutions and considerations; 3) Budget, recognition, appreciation and compensation; 4) Evaluation and reporting; 5) Ethical considerations
- Small group activity
- Build a patient engagement plan
- Large group discussion
- Guided conversation around insights from small group activity

*A comprehensive document, complete with tools, will be shared after each session

Evaluation:

After each live session, participants will be asked to complete an evaluation, which will help to inform future sessions. The results from the co-creation process evaluation and post-session participants’ surveys will be written into a publication (Lead: Bukola Ibitoye).

How Is The Project Going?

April 2026

This three-part training series is now available for self-study. This series delivers patient engagement training to empower researchers, research staff, and trainees with practical skills to meaningfully engage people with lived and living experience.

Participants can now join this training series through self-led study for all three sessions - Deconstructing Patient Engagement, Rethinking Patient Engagement Communication, and Reconstructing Patient Engagement.

Self-study materials can be found here anytime.

November 2025

Registration is now open.

Pre-session(s) completion is mandatory in order to attend the next session. Recordings will be made available if you are unable to attend live, although attending live will provide the most rich learning experience.

All sessions will be moderated by Michelle Quinlan, Patient Engagement Coordinator, and all speakers and breakout room facilitators are patient and family partners who have been or are involved in various POPCORN Projects.

This work has been supported by Sarah Ahira, Megan Bale-Nick, Francine Buchanan, Lisa Knisley, Michelle Quinlan, and Kristina Waker.

Who Can Participate?

Researchers, Research Staff, and Trainees at all sites are welcome to participate in these three-part training sessions.

Contact Michelle Quinlan if you have any questions: michelle.quinlan@sickkids.ca

Patient Engagement Training Series: