STUDENT PARTNERS IN CANCER RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

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DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Description) In Arkansas, where 48 percent of the state is rural, the mortality rate of cancer is 21 percent higher than the national average. To help combat this alarming statistic, primary care professionals, as well as basic and clinical investigators in Arkansas, must be educated in the basic principles of cancer education and care. The Partners in Cancer Research (PIR) program is a well-established summer program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences that provides opportunities for medical and pharmacy students and African-American undergraduate students to participate in on-going cancer research and education activities in Arkansas. This competing renewal application seeks to extend and expand this successful 10-week program to include more pharmacy and minority students and to offer education in new program areas, including clinical trials, palliative care and behavioral medicine. Specifically, students will participate one-on-one with a preceptor on individual projects involving laboratory research; preparation of computer cancer education modules; or research related to cancer control, palliative care or behavioral medicine. These projects will be supplemented with attendance at weekly lectures and cancer grand-rounds; participation in a Cancer Clinical Trials Education Program; completion of self-directed cancer education modules on the computer; and completion of a clinical experience with a cancer clinical specialist. At the end of the program, students will present the results of their research and projects at the Student Symposium. PIR's ultimate goal is to enable student participants to gain enthusiasm and understanding of oncology and to encourage careers in cancer-related research, patient care, or education. Overall, these students will be able to communicate the importance of cancer detection, prevention, and appropriate treatment in their professional and every-day personal lives, regardless of their eventual specialization or practice.