Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination

CANCER RESEARCH TRAINING AND EDUCATION COORDINATION: PROJECT SUMMARY The goal of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center’s (LCCC) Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) component is to develop, implement, and sustain comprehensive cancer research career development programming for participants at all career stages, from K-12 scholars to mid-career faculty. CRTEC focuses on the needs of the individual, cutting-edge experiential learning opportunities, and implementation of evidence-based mentoring practices across the LCCC Consortium. Notable for this funding period are a new Associate Director (AD) for Education and Training, and full staffing of CRTEC with an Administrator and Metrics/Analytics Coordinator. Across all three Research Programs; Community Outreach and Engagement (COE); and the Consortium partnership, CRTEC has collaboratively expanded training and career development programs. These include: (1) implementing the evidence-based “Entering Mentoring” curricula to support best practices in mentoring and career development, (2) creating an internship and career development program for undergraduates funded by the American Cancer Society, (3) creating a “Young Scholars Program” for catchment area (CA) elementary school students to be introduced to cancer research, (4) receipt of two new T32s and nine new K awards, and (5) creating tailored oncology research fellowships for medical students. CRTEC has three Specific Aims, each focused on a specific phase of the training and career development pipeline, and all are guided by the CRTEC Advisory Council using a robust process to evaluate and optimize program efficacy and impact. Aim 1 develops and supports programs that encourage K-12 and undergraduate students to explore careers in cancer research. Aim 2 enhances the multidisciplinary cancer research training environment for graduate and medical students, residents, postdoctoral and clinical fellows. Aim 3 provides a strong mentoring and career development structure for early to new midcareer faculty. During the current funding period, LCCC has provided cancer training, education, and career development for 181 K-12 and undergraduates, 94 PhD, MD, and MD/PhD students, 70 postdoctoral and 42 clinical fellows, and 42 early career faculty. Plans for the next project period include: (1) collaborate with COE to develop signature training programs that better serve students in our CA, (2) increase grant-funded training and career development opportunities for clinical investigators, and (3) recruit, support, and retain early career faculty in cancer research.