Seeking Applicants for the 2023-2024 Asia Pacific Leadership Development Program

August 4, 2022

Applications for ASCO’s 2023-2024 Leadership Development Program Asia Pacific (LDP-AP) are now open through November 17. The LDP-AP is designed to create a talented network of clinicians from the region who are empowered to identify and fill leadership roles in oncology and promote interdisciplinary collaboration across the region and within ASCO.

The program combines virtual and in-person training sessions to help build leadership skills that include managing teams, positive conflict resolution, strategic planning, communicating effectively with others, crafting and presenting a message, and more. Participants also will gain exposure to ASCO’s roles and mission, as well as network with and receive mentorship from ASCO leaders.

The LDP-AP “helped me to improve self-awareness and stakeholder analysis, which are crucial for communication and teamwork,” said LDP-AP past participant Wah Wah Myint Zu, MBBS, M.Med.Sc., a radiation oncologist in Myanmar. “Also, time management is a big issue for me, and I learned to prioritize and be proactive to save my precious time and a lot of unnecessary stress. Learning from LDP-AP faculty, mentors, coaches, and global and regional leaders and getting their insights, perspectives, and experiences was valuable and so inspiring. In the LDP, we are not only learning about leadership, we are gaining friendships and networking with other oncologists in the program, which will definitely foster collaboration and coordination in global oncology care.”

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the ASCO Leadership Development Program Asia Pacific, applicants must:

  • Be an ASCO Member (or submit a membership application in conjunction with the application) from the Asia-Pacific Region (eligible country list included in the application)
  • Commit to participating in monthly virtual learning sessions, small group projects, and two in-person workshops to be held August 1-2, 2023, in Japan and August 2024 in Asia.
  • Meet English language fluency requirements
  • Be a mid-career oncologist – generally someone who has completed their training between 2013 and 2018 and is working full time delivery oncology care.

Travel expenses for participants will be provided.

To review the full application criteria and additional information including the list of eligible countries, see the request for applications packet.

Participants will be selected based on their commitment to improving cancer care and potential for leadership. At the conclusion of the program, participants will be better able to lead teams and initiatives, to build relationships with leaders within their countries, and to lead within their own societies, institutions, and ASCO.

Program Format

Participants accepted for this program will be divided into teams with each assigned a strategic issue to research. Teams will complete project assignments throughout the year and develop a presentation to be delivered to the ASCO Asia Pacific Regional Council.

Participants will learn skills through both virtual and in-person sessions. They will participate actively in small group discussions, small group projects, in-person workshops.

Participants are expected to attend and actively participate in two live meetings:

Individuals will practice acquired leadership skills throughout the year within project teams and will partake in standing conference calls with the LDP-AP team. The class also is required to complete course evaluations and alumni surveys.

“The course covers all aspects of being a good leader, including self-awareness; understanding your members; strategic planning; SWOT [strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats] analysis; time management; presentation skills; and conflict management,” explained LDP-AP past participant Harvey Yu-Li Su, MD. “In addition, all participants were grouped together and given a specific topic, including international research collaboration, cancer advocacy, and education. It required intense discussion, in-depth research, and multi-directional brainstorming.”

Over the course of a year, the 2021-2022 class worked on and initiated several projects, including examining barriers and opportunities to collaborative clinical research across Asia-Pacific, models for sustainable cancer registries in Asia-Pacific, and strategies to garner political will for cancer control efforts at the country level.

The LDP-AP is advised and facilitated by the Asia Pacific Regional Council, which was established in 2019. The Council, composed of 13 members and currently chaired by Roselle de Guzman MD, of Philippines, advises ASCO on the unique needs of and challenges in the region and has been involved with increasing member engagement in ASCO’s global activities. The Council is focused on increasing Asia Pacific stakeholder engagement in ASCO and linking ASCO resources with cancer centers in the Asia Pacific region.

View the roster of current Asia Pacific Regional Council members.

Apply for the LDP-AP.