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Program Overview

Overview

Multidisciplinary training with exposure to a broad spectrum of ideas and mentored collaborative research is fundamental to the development of effective cancer prevention and control researchers.

Through its specialized core curriculum and mentored research experience, the CCEP focuses on training that crosses and integrates different disciplines.

Objectives

To prepare pre- and postdoctoral fellows for careers in interdisciplinary and collaborative cancer prevention and control research, the CCEP has six training objectives. Through the Program, fellows will:

  • Understand the fundamental issues in cancer prevention and control
  • Develop research expertise by mastering a content area
  • Develop collaborative capability by learning the basic tenets and vocabulary of complementary content areas
  • Become competent in research methods
  • Gain mentored research experience under the guidance of a multidisciplinary team of mentors
  • Develop professional skills required for successful research careers (such as writing grants, presenting research findings, writing for publication, etc.)

As part of their postdoctoral program, physicians, nurses, and other health professionals without masters-level training are expected to pursue an advanced degree (MPH, PhD, or DrPH), primarily at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health.

Other postdoctoral fellows may also elect to pursue a master’s degree or to begin coursework for a PhD.

Fellows interested in pursuing advanced degrees from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health or other UNC-Chapel Hill programs must apply separately to and be accepted into those programs.

Flexibility

Program stresses flexibility in training, especially for postdoctoral fellows.

Each fellow enters the Program with an identified mentoring team that includes a primary faculty mentor and additional faculty identified during the application and selection process.

For predoctoral fellows, the mentor and mentoring team principally serve as dissertation advisor(s) and committee.

For postdoctoral fellows, upon entry into the Program, the PIs and prospective mentors review each fellow’s prior training, assess the individual needs, and, in collaboration with the fellows, design an appropriate training plan.

Postdoctoral Training Plans

The training plan is key to the evaluation of postdoctoral trainee’s progress. Upon fellows’ acceptance into the CCEP, the PIs, the mentoring team, and the fellows develop an interdisciplinary training plan.

Fellows then annually submit training plans for review, modification (if appropriate), and approval by their mentoring team and the PIs. Plans, which are individually tailored to fit each fellow’s needs, generally have three major components: Goals/Objectives, Core Curriculum, Research Experience.

Postdoctoral fellows and the mentoring team meet regularly with CCEP leadership to discuss progress.

Program Setting

The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill constitute an ideal setting for a training program in cancer prevention and control. An NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC Lineberger has considerable strength in the population sciences backed by a well-established Cancer Center and the nationally recognized UNC School of Public Health.

Center-specific resources include:

  • Established, well-funded scientific research programs in Cancer Prevention and Control and Cancer Epidemiology and a quickly developing program in Cancer Outcomes
  • Core resources established to support the population sciences (Rapid Case Ascertainment, Next Generation Sequencing and Genotyping, CHAI — Communication for Health Applications and Intervention)
  • Other core resources that support the population sciences as well as other research (Biostatistics, Tissue Procurement, Oncology Clinical Protocol Office)
  • A developmental/seed grants program dedicated to cancer prevention and control/cancer epidemiology

Important cross-disciplinary training resources, such as the Preventive Medicine Residency Program, and the Public Health Leadership Program/Health Care and Prevention Curriculum, are available for clinician postdoctoral fellows.

One of the growing strengths of UNC Lineberger and its Population Sciences programs has been its increasing collaboration with faculty and disciplines outside of the traditional Health Affairs schools. The tremendous range of expertise and training available throughout the University provides incredible depth and flexibility in training opportunities while also emphasizing cross-disciplinary interactions.