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Education & Training

The Office of Education and Training at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center coordinates training programs educating, mentoring, and promoting a diverse cancer research and care workforce. Our work fulfills a Simmons Cancer Center’s core mission to ensure that all cancer trainees develop skills required to perform cutting-edge research across all cancer disciplines, including basic, clinical, and population sciences with an emphasis on translational research.

The Simmons Cancer Center and its members coordinate and participate in cancer research education, training, and professional development activities across the learner continuum from high school students to undergraduates, graduates, postdoctoral trainees, clinical fellows, and faculty.

  • High School & Undergraduate Students

    Designing Research Experiences and Mentoring (DREAM) Internship Program, funded by the American Cancer Society, is an internship program that provides college students with a summer research experience to increase their awareness of, and enthusiasm for, opportunities to work in cancer research. 

    DREAM Post-Baccalaureate Program, funded by the American Cancer Society, seeks to develop scholars from diverse backgrounds in science to help them build skills, and network while preparing them for the rigors of graduate or medical training and a successful transition to the cancer research workforce. 

    Science Teacher Access to Resources at Southwestern (STARS) aims to improve the quality of science education in North Texas by making the educational resources available at UT Southwestern available to middle and high school science teachers in our catchment area. STARS programs aim to develop science awareness and inspire an appreciation of health-related careers for high school students. This offers students and teachers the opportunity to work with a faculty host in a research lab for eight weeks during the summer months.

    Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is an intensive summer research training experience designed for college students who are preparing for Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. careers in biomedical research. Fellows spend 10 weeks (beginning in early June and ending mid-August) pursuing individual research projects in the laboratories of Graduate School faculty members. 

    The UT Southwestern-Postbaccalaureate to Ph.D. (PB2PHD) Program is intended to serve recent college graduates who are interested in pursuing graduate research training (Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) in the biomedical sciences and who will benefit from additional research training. 

  • Graduate & Medical Students

    UT Southwestern’s Cancer Biology Graduate Program, a Ph.D.-granting program that crosses the Simmons Cancer Center’s many interdisciplinary bridges, includes over 60 faculty mentors and 35 trainees. Trainees receive education in grant-writing, advanced concepts in cancer biology, hallmarks of cancer, and cancer stem cells.

    The CPRIT-funded Cancer Intervention and Prevention Discoveries Program (CIPD) intends to train exceptional scientists capable of conducting independent cancer research with a deep understanding of the science, public health, and clinical problems of human cancer. 

    Summer Oncology Internship Program at UT Southwestern aims to offer second year medical students with a 4-week immersive experience featuring shadowing opportunities, mentoring experiences and education designed to help students explore their interests in oncology and explore a career in a cancer related field. For more information, please Samira.Syed@UTSouthwestern.edu Samira Syed, M.D.

  • Postdoctoral Trainees & Clinical Fellows

    Simmons Cancer Center invites senior students and/or recent graduate students to campus to network with faculty whose research interests match their own, connect with current UT Southwestern postdocs, and learn about Career Development and Postdoctoral Training programs. The SCCC will provide funding for travel expenses and candidates may be considered for a variety of fellowships and training grants. Learn more about UTSW Postdoctoral Training Opportunities.

    The CPRIT-funded Cancer Intervention and Prevention Discoveries Program (CIPD) intends to train exceptional scientists capable of conducting independent cancer research with a deep understanding of the science, public health, and clinical problems of human cancer. 

    The Data Science Shared Resource fellowship is an avenue for researchers in SCCC members’ labs to receive formal ‘on-the-job’ training for learning and/or advancing data analytical skills. Fellows will be partially embedded in the DSSR, which is housed in the open office suite of the Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics. This will foster spontaneous, informal interactions with researchers and faculty who have a wide range of data science expertise.

    Clinical Training Programs:
    • Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program
    • Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program
    • Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program
    • Urologic Oncology Fellowship Program 
    • Radiation Oncology

  • Faculty & Professionals

    Mentoring groups are comprised of senior Simmons Cancer Center faculty who support the career development of early-stage investigators. These mentorship groups are tasked with providing guidance, grant review, and evaluation of progress for members. Cancer Center members seeking assistance in forming mentoring committees, please julie.ramos@utsouthwestern.edu Julie Ramos.

    The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Oncology Fellowship Program at Simmons Cancer Center provides a 12-month structured postgraduate education to prepare clinical nurse specialists*, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants with the expertise necessary to provide high-quality medical care in the complex environment of adult oncology. 

Leadership

Jerry Shay, Ph.D.
Jerry Shay, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Education and Training

David Gerber, M.D. 
David Gerber, M.D.

Co-Director, Education and Training

L. Joseph Su, Ph.D., MPH
L. Joseph Su, Ph.D., MPH

Co-Director, Education and Training

Contact

Julie Ramos
Julie Ramos

Sr. Program Coordinator

Julie.Ramos@UTSouthwestern.edu

Tamika Gipson 
Tamika Gipson

Education Coordinator

Tamika.Gipson@UTSouthwestern.edu