Future Directions for Postdoctoral Training in Cancer Prevention: Insights from a Panel of Experts

Offer undergraduate- or graduate-level summer programs in cancer prevention.

Develop specific undergraduate or graduate school cancer prevention tracks or credentialing; this could include experiential learning with cancer prevention scientists.

Attend science career events sponsored by professional societies across the spectrum of disciplines that could contribute to cancer prevention research.

Hold joint cancer prevention professional meetings with organizations that are not traditionally involved in health (e.g., community planners, engineers, etc.).

Directly reach out to professors or students in underrepresented disciplines, and consider creating challenges and asking for ideas/assistance.

Develop closer ties with existing university science, technology, engineering, or medicine (STEM) programs.

Provide support for coursework or extensive training in selected areas (e.g., epidemiology, biostatistics, cancer biology, behavioral science, etc.).

Provide or authorize fellows to attend comprehensive course(s) on the state of the art in cancer prevention.

Provide lectures on key topics or themes in cancer prevention (e.g., history, disciplines' contributions, biology, or seminal studies).

Provide lectures or other meetings led by established cancer prevention researchers.

Develop collaborative research projects on research questions or topics that involve fellows from different disciplines.

Develop certification or examination criteria in cancer prevention.

Provide short-term opportunities or assignments to different program areas, projects, or types of positions in cancer prevention and control.

Directly inform fellows about cancer prevention career options through lectures or group meetings, or through sessions sponsored by professional associations, agencies, or institutions (e.g., AACR, ASPO, or NIH).

Convene facilitated individual or small group career planning meetings; consider using preexisting materials (e.g., books not necessarily specific to the sciences).

Provide opportunities to conduct cancer prevention research projects or other activities through national, state, or local governmental or nongovernmental partners.

Create or enhance a network of alumni from cancer prevention postdoctoral programs.