Field Placement: Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research (MTPCCR)
Location: UCLA School of Public Health -- Department of Community Health Sciences
Preceptor: Dr. Kagawa-Singer
Student Name: Tawnya Lewis
Year: 2002

I conducted my internship with the Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research (MTPCCR). The program was housed in the Community Health Sciences Department in the School of Public Health at UCLA. The internship was conducted over 20 weeks (during the Summer and Fall), and I served as the program coordinator for the program. Dr. Kagawa-Singer served as one of two UCLA principal investigators for the program, as well as the preceptor for the internship. The purpose of the MTPCCR is to increase ethnic diversity in the field of cancer control research. The rationale behind this focus is that in underserved populations and communities of color there is a disproportionate burden in mortality and morbidity due to cancer. For these same populations that suffer a disparate burden, there is a significant lack of ethnic diversity in those scientist who seek to eliminate cancer disease disparities. The value of having a researcher that possesses an innate knowledge of the culture under investigation provides an important understanding of the best methods for addressing the needs of a community. The MTPCCR sought to address this problem by encouraging minority students in master's level health programs, as well as master's trained professionals to pursue a doctoral degree and career in research. The program was created in 1998 at the Northern California Cancer Center through a grant funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Due to the program's success, NCI funded a second grant that included the replication of the MTPCCR in Southern California. UCLA became the lead agency for the Southern California MTPCCR, and collaborated with six other universities/colleges, California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), California State University Los Angeles (CSULA), California State University Northridge (CSUN), the University of California at Irvine (UCI), the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), and the University of Southern California (USC). The MTPCCR has 3 components: 1) a five-day Summer Institute designed to showcase the opportunities and need for minority researchers in cancer control, 2) paid student internships for those who participate in the Summer Institute and 3) doctoral incentive awards for up to $2,000 are eligible to those who participate in the Summer Institute and who wish to pursue a doctorate. During my internship, I was responsible for the daily coordination of the program, including planning and implementation of the first two components of the program. Specifically, I was responsible for developing communication tools, conducting and coordinating outreach/recruitment activities, expanding the collaborative, and planning the program's 2003 Summer Institute.

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