This is a competitive R25E renewal application for years 16 to 20 of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Cancer Prevention Education: Student Research Experiences (the Program, www.cancerpreventiontraining.org). Since the beginning in 1992, the objective has been to provide short-term research experiences in cancer prevention research and education to students as a means to recruit them to careers in cancer prevention research. We have developed curriculum-based methods that provide new knowledge and opportunities for graduate students and minority undergraduates from the basic biomedical sciences, biostatistics, epidemiology, genetics, behavioral and social sciences, nursing, medicine, and related public health disciplines to work with faculty mentors on cancer prevention research projects. Beginning with 10 budgeted positions and increasing by 2 per year to 18 positions supported annually since year 5, the Program now requests 7 additional three-month positions to add flexibility for more involved and complex projects. The request is based on our documented greater faculty capacity to provide high-quality mentored research opportunities and increased demand for the existing positions. To date, all positions have been filled annually. Before beginning the experience, each student develops with his or her mentor and the Program Directors an educational plan with research objectives, a timeline, and learning objectives. The Advisory Committee reviews and selects the students based on the merit of their educational objectives and research plan. Students receive a stipend with limited funds available for tuition for required courses, """"""""Topics in Cancer Prevention I & II."""""""" Students deliver an oral report on their research experience at our Cancer Prevention Trainee Brown Bag seminars. A mentor's evaluation and students self-evaluations identify strengths and limitations of the research experience, based on the specific goals in the student's educational plan.
The Specific Aims are to recruit and select students to fill 25 positions annually; to maintain and increase pool of potential faculty mentors and to recognize model mentors; to maintain innovative and effective recruitment and application processes; to maintain the review and oversight functions of the Advisory Committee; to maintain process and outcome evaluation, and long-term tracking of trainees; and to update and expand the Program's multi-disciplinary curriculum in cancer prevention. Several innovations to the Program are proposed: 1) to add to the curriculum a course in bio-behavioral methods in cancer prevention and a seminar series, """"""""Decision-making for Next Career Steps in Cancer Prevention""""""""; and to improve the Program's Internet tools for recruitment, mentor and project selection, alumni follow-up, and on-demand learning (e.g., videocasting). Overall, the Program's success takes many forms, from students' research presentations and publications, to development of master's theses and doctoral dissertations, as well as the growing number of alumni who have completed training and currently hold academic positions in cancer prevention research. ? ? ?
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