The Medical Student Rotation for Underrepresented Populations (MSR) provides financial support for U.S. medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine (UIM) who are interested in oncology as a career to experience a minimum 4-week clinical or clinical research rotation. The oncology rotation can take place in a private practice, hospital, or academic setting, with a focus on either direct patient care or research, provided that the research is clinically oriented.
During the rotation, each participant will have a mentor whose role includes overseeing the student in their rotation as well as providing ongoing academic and career guidance following the rotation experience. Participants may preselect a mentor for their rotation or ask for assistance in arranging a partnership with an ASCO member. Recipients are required to apply with a preselected mentor for their rotation. Applicants without a preselected mentor can request resources to assist in identifying and contacting a prospective mentor by emailing ProfessionalDevelopment@asco.org.
Following the rotation, recipients are required to attend the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL where they will hear the latest advances in cancer research, participate in a Meet and Greet with ASCO members, and continue to learn about the exciting field of oncology. The Medical Student Rotation award includes a $5,000 stipend for the rotation plus $1,500 for travel to the ASCO Annual Meeting. An additional $2,000 will be provided to support the student's mentor.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria to qualify for the Medical Student Rotation:
- Be enrolled in a DO or MD program at a U.S. medical school.
- Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident.
- Be an ASCO member. Students may be able to obtain a FREE ASCO membership;
- Have a record of good academic standing; and
- Be of an underrepresented population in medicine. Underrepresented in medicine (UIM) is defined according to the Association of American Medical Colleges definition, as “those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population.” For the purposes of this program, races and ethnicities that have been identified as UIM coincide with those in ASCO Workforce Diversity Strategic Plan, which “include but are not limited to American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander.”
Note: Individuals who have previously received the MSR are eligible to apply; however, preference will be given to applicants that have not previously received the award. Please contact ASCO staff with any questions by sending an email to ProfessionalDevelopment@asco.org.
Application Instructions
The application for the 2024-25 MSR is open until 11:59pm ET on January 15, 2024. All applications must be submitted in accordance with the requirements and instructions in the Request for Applications (RFA). All application materials must be in English and must be submitted through the Application Portal. Paper applications or applications sent by e-mail or fax will not be accepted.
For questions, please contact our Professional Development team.
Supporters
The Medical Student Rotation is funded through Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation by these generous donors.
AstraZeneca
Eisai Inc.
Pfizer Oncology
This list reflects commitments as of May 26, 2023.
This grant receives support that may result in a report to the CMS Open Payments website under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act. The supporting companies are required to report the amount of the grant, the names of physicians who are awarded this grant, and the names of their institutions. This information may appear on the Open Payments website. Find out more information about the Sunshine Act and CMS Open Payments program.