Mekinda Megan A, Domecki Michelle L, Goss Kathleen H, Dolan M Eileen
University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
J STEM Outreach. 2021 Aug;4(3). doi: 10.15695/jstem/v4i3.07. Epub 2021 Aug 30.
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.
自2020年春季以来，新冠疫情扰乱了下一代癌症研究人员和医生的培养进程，迫使全国范围内的培养计划取消、推迟或重新规划教育与培训活动。因此，芝加哥大学的“芝加哥关注癌症”计划转变为完全在线的形式，该形式优先考虑了26名来自代表性不足背景的高中和本科受训人员的灵活性，这些人员有资格参与该计划。评估数据表明，尽管疫情肆虐，但该计划的重新设计成功确保了受训人员能够获得知识、社交和经济支持，88%的受训人员达到并大多超过了计划要求。数据还显示出该计划给受训人员带来了积极成果，尤其是在他们对生物医学职业的理解、对规划研究职业的投入和信心，以及作为研究人员的准备程度和自信方面。短期内，我们的经验为同样面临在新冠疫情背景下提供高质量癌症研究培训挑战的同事们提供了切实可行的见解。从长远来看，我们在线课程的成功可被利用，将丰富的机会扩展到计划校友、合作学校和其他优先群体，作为综合癌症中心广泛癌症教育战略的一个永久组成部分。
