Cancer Education Core: Curriculum in Cancer Medicine, Science, and Health Disparities

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The long term goal of this project is to formalize a graduate degree curriculum based on cancer medicine, cancer science and cancer health disparities. The main goal is to enhance research capacity at UPRCCC by development of an Education Core that complements and is integral to the Training and Career Development Core. Although UPR offers a wide variety of basic science courses, no specific courses or customized curricula are offered that address topics in cancer medicine, science, and health disparities. The proposed educational curriculum will provide a foundation in these topics that initially will complement education received by the students pursuing careers in science, biomedical sciences, medicine and other health sciences careers who are enrolled in UPR and the collaborating institutions. The Education Core will provide this academic offer by different strategies; short intensive courses, core curricular sequences composed of modules (one module by semester), seminar series and scientific meetings, among others. All of the educational activities offered and coordinated by the Education Core will account to registered, credit granting courses, at UPR. Two short courses have already been developed, originally as part of the Training Program, one on Cancer Biology and one in Cancer Genetics. These take advantage of the availability of expert faculty from the partnering institution, MDACC, along with the expertise and experience of the UPRCCC on the particularities of the Hispanic populations. Based on the successful experience with these intensive short courses, plans are directed towards the creation of additional courses in topics such as. Emerging Technologies in Cancer Medicine, Cancer Prevention and Cancer Health Disparities. Another innovation proposed is a modular curricular core on skills necessary to be successful in research, aimed to offer fundamental knowledge to undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers related to cancer and health disparities. One module will be offered each semester; Responsible Conduct of Research, Enhancing verbal, analytical reading and writing skills. Fundamental Skills for Research & Introduction to Biostatics and Bioinformatics. The intent is that the trainees complete the sequence of modules in two (2) years. Although the Education Core is based on the University of Puerto Rico System, the idea is to develop collaboration with other accredited academic institutions in Puerto Rico, starting with the Ponce School of Medicine. One of the objectives of the Educational Core is to lay the foundation for the development of a formal graduate program at UPR with a curriculum based on cancer medicine, cancer science and cancer health disparities.