ABSTRACT
The goal of the ENRICH (ENhancing Research In Cancer-related Health professions) Program is to immerse
trainees in the scientific process, foundational discovery, multidisciplinary translational frameworks, and the
breadth of opportunities for careers in cancer research, capitalizing on the environment and commitment from
the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center (O’Neal). The
ENRICH Program capitalizes on the existing infrastructure of O’Neal and our cancer research community of
exceptional scientists leading paradigm-shifting translational, basic, clinical and public health research
enriched by partnerships with the O’Neal Cancer Training and Career Development Office, UAB Physician
Scientist Development Office, and UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences Training Academy, to
establish an innovative 10-week summer Program for 30 medical, dental and master-level graduate students
from a diverse spectrum of disciplines including public health, basic science, health professions, nursing and
pharmacy from UAB and Samford University. The ENRICH Program is unique in that it will provide a
community of trainees each summer with a mentored, cancer research-focused experience (Aim 1)
complemented with a structured forum focused on transferrable skills including communication, personal and
professional development, rigor and reproducibility and research ethics. By including topics in cancer biology,
clinical research, epidemiology, outcomes, and implementation and dissemination science, we have the
opportunity to showcase the convergence of multidisciplinary translational science to the trainees (Aim 2). We
will evaluate the short-, intermediate- and long- term impact of the ENRICH Program by implementing a
comprehensive evaluation of the ENRICH Program (Aim 3). Through these efforts, ENRICH will prepare a
diverse and highly-skilled workforce to attain competence in inquiry-based cancer research, knowledge of the
state-of-the-art tools to apply to hypothesis-generation, and have a notable impact on the quantity and quality
of next generation of scientists and cancer care professionals – individuals that will knowledgeably and
compassionately serve their community.