Advancing Careers in Cancer Research Program

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Program Dates: TBD
Location: Richmond, VA

For more information, contact us at MCCCRTEC@vcu.edu.

About the Program

The ACCESS program exposes individuals interested in cancer research to various career paths including biomedical and data sciences, population and public health or other related health professions. A hallmark of this two-year program is that fellows will apply a “community-to-bench” model that views the community as an equal research partner. This approach will be applicable to all stages of the scientific process to integrate scientific inquiry, community dialogue and academic research models. ACCESS is a post-baccalaureate certificate program funded by the American Cancer Society.

Applications are no longer being accepted at this time.

Program Details
You are eligible to apply if you:
1. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited domestic or foreign educational institution.
2. Are a U.S. citizen or have a verifiable status as a permanent resident.
Specific dates are not available at this time. You must be able to commit to working in a mentor's laboratory for at least 30 hours per week.
Mentorship teams derived from ACCESS faculty mentors will inform research projects established for each fellow. The mentoring team will help develop and monitor the fellow’s individual development plan, which will map out the skills to be learned and milestones to be achieved.

Within the primary mentor's laboratory, fellows will be provided with training opportunities that include exposure to a multidisciplinary research environment available through hands-on experience applying design thinking for implementation of biomedical research concepts and techniques. Initiatives and interactions will generate a higher percentage of ACCESS fellows in cancer-related graduate programs.

Four courses are required:
- Graduate Research Methods
- Principles of Community Engaged Research
- Writing and Grantsmanship
- Scientific Integrity, Responsible Scientific Conduct, Responsible Conduct of Research
ACCESS fellows will also participate in career development activities such as journal club and career development workshops.

All fellows are expected to attend and/or give presentations at research retreats, symposia and national meetings including our annual Walter Lawrence Research Retreat, our Gordon Ginder Innovations in Cancer Research Symposium, the Biannual Commonwealth of Virginia Cancer Research Conference and a national conference of choice.
Four fellows will each receive two years of support for:
- Salary ($37,000 USD)
- Health ($2,654 USD)
- Housing allowance ($600 USD)
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a top-50 ranked public research university (R1) in the U.S. with deep ties to innovation, creativity and the community it serves. Nationally recognized for its robust research enterprise, VCU serves as a scientific hub for innovation that bridges state-of-the-art technology with renowned faculty expertise across a variety of disciplines. Located in Richmond, the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, VCU sits alongside the James River line in the Piedmont region, and serves as the center of the metropolitan area known for its rich cultural history.

VCU is home to six schools—medicine, public health, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and health professions— and one of only two NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Virginia. VCU Massey has more than 140 members representing more than 25 academic departments across six VCU schools and colleges and are organized into three nationally-ranked research programs.

You are eligible to apply if you:

Hold a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited domestic or foreign educational institution.
Are a U.S. citizen or have a verifiable status as a permanent resident.

Specific dates are not available at this time. You must be able to commit to working in a mentor's laboratory for at least 30 hours per week.

Mentorship teams derived from ACCESS faculty mentors will inform research projects established for each fellow. The mentoring team will help develop and monitor the fellow’s individual development plan, which will map out the skills to be learned and milestones to be achieved.

Within the primary mentor's laboratory, fellows will be provided with training opportunities that include exposure to a multidisciplinary research environment available through hands-on experience applying design thinking for implementation of biomedical research concepts and techniques. Initiatives and interactions will generate a higher percentage of ACCESS fellows in cancer-related graduate programs.

Four courses are required:

Graduate Research Methods
Principles of Community Engaged Research
Writing and Grantsmanship
Scientific Integrity, Responsible Scientific Conduct, Responsible Conduct of Research

ACCESS fellows will also participate in career development activities such as journal club and career development workshops.

All fellows are expected to attend and/or give presentations at research retreats, symposia and national meetings including our annual Walter Lawrence Research Retreat, our Gordon Ginder Innovations in Cancer Research Symposium, the Biannual Commonwealth of Virginia Cancer Research Conference and a national conference of choice.

Four fellows will each receive two years of support for:

Salary ($37,000 USD)
Health ($2,654 USD)
Housing allowance ($600 USD)

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a top-50 ranked public research university (R1) in the U.S. with deep ties to innovation, creativity and the community it serves. Nationally recognized for its robust research enterprise, VCU serves as a scientific hub for innovation that bridges state-of-the-art technology with renowned faculty expertise across a variety of disciplines. Located in Richmond, the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, VCU sits alongside the James River line in the Piedmont region, and serves as the center of the metropolitan area known for its rich cultural history.

VCU is home to six schools—medicine, public health, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and health professions— and one of only two NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Virginia. VCU Massey has more than 140 members representing more than 25 academic departments across six VCU schools and colleges and are organized into three nationally-ranked research programs.

Advancing Careers in Cancer Research for Post-Baccalaureate Students (ACCESS)

Details to Remember

About the Program