Abstract
Since spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted development of the next generation of cancer researchers and physicians, forcing pathway programs across the nation to cancel, postpone or reinvent education and training activities. Accordingly, the University of Chicago's Chicago EYES on Cancer program was converted to a fully-online format, which prioritized flexibility for the 26 high school and undergraduate trainees, from underrepresented backgrounds, who were eligible to participate. Evaluation data suggest that the program's redesign successfully preserved trainees' access to intellectual, social and financial support despite the pandemic, with 88% of trainees meeting, and most exceeding, program requirements. Data also suggest positive outcomes for trainees, particularly with regard to their understanding of careers in biomedicine, their commitment to and confidence in planning for a research career, and their readiness and self-confidence as researchers. In the immediate term, our experiences offer practical insights for our colleagues similarly challenged to provide high-quality cancer research training within the context of COVID. In the long term, the success of our online programming can be leveraged to extend enrichment opportunities to program alumni, partner schools and other priority groups as a permanent component of the Comprehensive Cancer Center's broad cancer education strategy.
Highlights
Since spring 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)has disrupted development of the generation of cancer researchers and physicians, forcing pathway programs nationwide to cancel, postpone or reinvent all education and training activities
The EYES 2021 summer session includes full-time research experiences for all trainees. These include fully-remote options for high school students, who are still not permitted on campus as part of the university’s COVID-19 protocol
The experiences and mentorship that facilitate aligned ambitions can be difficult to access, among underrepresented minorities. These findings are preliminary, they encourage us to consider the potential of online enrichment activities as a relatively low-cost, high-capacity approach to foster career knowledge, self-confidence, and commitment among young people considering a future in cancer research
Summary
Since spring 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)has disrupted development of the generation of cancer researchers and physicians, forcing pathway programs nationwide to cancel, postpone or reinvent all education and training activities. The leadership team provided remote research experiences and online skill-building and career development activities, with the goal of preserving trainees’ access to intellectual, social and financial support despite the pandemic. We describe the leadership team’s responses to COVID-19-related programming challenges, which prioritized flexibility to accommodate trainees’ diverse personal circumstances. In Study 2, we evaluate the impact of our online programming on trainees’ research skills and career development relative to on-site, in-person programming offered to prior cohorts. The outcomes of our online EYES programming have informed our efforts to provide impactful cancer research training to underserved youth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have inspired plans to extend online enrichment opportunities to program alumni, partner schools and other priority groups as a permanent component of the Comprehensive Cancer Center’s broader cancer education strategy. We share our findings and lessons learned as a resource for others focused on pursuing robust ways to serve promising young scientists
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
