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Future Gen Cancer Scholars

The cornerstone of Future Gen is a mentored summer internship program.

The Future Gen Cancer Scholars program will enable 20 public high school students per year from Providence, Pawtucket and Central Falls to participate in a 6-week summer program, for 2 successive summers. The Student Scholars will shadow some of the nation’s top cancer clinicians and scientists at Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital and at state-of-the-art laboratory research facilities at the Lifespan Cancer Institute and the Brown Cancer Center. 

Our Mission

The mission of the Future Gen Cancer Scholars Program is to inspire Hispanic, Black, Native American, and Indigenous Students of Color to enter careers in cancer treatment and research.
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Ability & Utilization

Each student will be matched with an oncologist or a hematologist to shadow patients in the outpatient and inpatient settings. The Scholars will learn about oncologic and hematologic diseases and their management through actual patient experiences. They will learn anatomy through physical examination and radiographic studies such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They will learn to utilize a microscope to diagnose and follow disorders of blood cells such as leukemia and sickle cell anemia. In the laboratory component of the FutureGen program, the cancer research laboratory will become a classroom. Scholars will see high technology cancer research such as the ability to study cancer cells at the single cell level.

Included Requirements

Completion

Completion of two successive summer programs after the sophomore and junior years. The summer program will be July 8 – August 16, 2024. It is expected that scholars participate at least 5 weeks during this period, 3-4 days per week, approximately 8am – 3pm.

Participation

Participation in a 1-week orientation in June.

Presentation

PowerPoint presentation at the end of each summer session giving an overview of a cancer you have seen.

Compensation

You will be hired by Lifespan and will be paid an hourly wage for your hours of participation. Your transportation will also be reimbursed. The Papitto Opportunity Connection is generously supporting this program.

Our Faculty

Howard Safran, MD

Dr. Howard Safran is the director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Lifespan Cancer Institute and the medical director of the Brown University Oncology Group. He has been involved in clinical cancer research for over 30 years. He is a national leader in the treatment of pancreatic and esophageal cancer.

Thomas A. Ollila, MD

Thomas A. Ollila, MD, is a hematologist/oncologist at Lifespan Cancer Institute who focuses on lymphoma, including primary central nervous system lymphoma. He is also the medical director of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma clinic. He earned his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology/oncology at Rhode Island Hospital.

Anthony Mega, MD

Dr. Anthony Mega has been a national leader in cancer education and training for 30 years running the Brown University Fellowship Program. He is also the section leader in genitourinary oncology.

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Brown University Oncology Research Group

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Future Gen Cancer Scholars

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