FAQs: ACS DICR Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology Program

The goal of the American Cancer Society (ACS) Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology Program is to provide high school students who identify as female with exposure to research and to careers in cancer research and oncology care via a virtual platform. Students also develop a broad, diverse professional network with fellow SHE participants and professionals.

Yes. Specific populations are underrepresented in science, including for receiving grant funding. These groups are collectively called populations underrepresented in science: 

• Certain racial and ethnic groups
• People with disabilities
• First-generation college graduates
• People from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds

For more information, see Get the Facts | Diversity in Extramural Programs. 

The 2-week virtual program occurs each year in July. 

ACS will monitor the program on an ongoing basis. Each institution hosting the ACS DICR SHE in Oncology program will be required to disseminate evaluations throughout the program and provide the ACS with de-identified, aggregated data. ACS will utilize this data to modify the program as needed.

To apply and be eligible for funding, institutions must:

• Be in the US and have undergraduate and graduate degree-granting programs, professional degree-granting programs, or be an eligible nonprofit institution with a current letter from the Internal Revenue Service conferring nonprofit status. 
• Have evidence of an active research program with a track record of extramural funding and publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Have documentation of the appropriate resources and infrastructure to support the proposed grant, including its financial management and management of its research subjects.
• Have experience with pathway programs and have held an ACS institutional grant (ACS IRG, CHERC, ACS DICR Internship, Post-Baccalaureate Fellows) NIH R25, or similar grants.

ACS DICR SHE institutions may request support for up to 20 students for the project period. 

Interested institutions may email DiversityResearchTraining@cancer.org. The ACS DICR team will invite eligible institutions to apply for the ACS DICR SHE Program through ProposalCentral. 

• New application deadline: April 1 (Spring cycle)
• Renewal application deadline: October 15 (Fall cycle) 

The ACS DICR SHE in Oncology peer review committee convenes in January and June to review all submitted applications. 

April applicants receive notice of funding decisions in July. The start date for the project period is January 1. 

October applicants receive notice of funding decisions in April. The start date for the project period is July 1.

Institutions are funded up to $25K for a 1-year project period. This includes stipend allowance of $500 per trainee for up to 20 students. The balance of the award may be used for other associated programmatic cost including up to $10,000 for staff support, career development and networking activities, and team building.

No.

SHE eligibility is guided by the NIH definition of underrepresented minorities in science.

• Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with an interest in any STEM discipline
• At least 16 years of age before the start of the program, for human subjects' compliance purposes
• Applicants must be full-time students and cannot be enrolled in summer courses that interfere with the ACS DICR SHE in Oncology Program

No. ACS funds a single institution and a single PI. Although we do not allow multiple PIs, institutions may have other doctoral-level faculty help lead the program.

No. Admission to an ACS SHE in Oncology Program requires an application to an institution with an active SHE Program funded by the ACS. View a list of current ACS SHE in Oncology institutions. 

Yes. Students selected for the SHE in Oncology Program receive a $500 stipend for the 2-weeks they participate in the summer cancer research experience.

No academic credit is awarded for the completion of this summer program.

SHE eligibility is guided by the NIH definition of underrepresented minorities in science.

• Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with an interest in any STEM discipline
• At least 16 years of age before the start of the program, for human subjects' compliance purposes
• Applicants must be full-time students and cannot be enrolled in summer courses that interfere with the ACS DICR SHE in Oncology Program