ACS DICR Internship Program for College Undergraduates
We provide institutional support for undergraduate students to take part in a 10-week summer internship in cancer research. The program targets undergraduate college students who are part of an underrepresented minority (URM) group in health-related science careers.
About the ACS DICR Internship
As part of the ACS Center for Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Training, the DICR Internship Program targets underrepresented minority (URM) undergraduate college students to increase their awareness of, and enthusiasm for, opportunities to work in cancer research. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of URM cancer researchers.
We have far exceeded our initial goal of recruiting 100 interns annually. The program started in 2021 with 8 institutions funding 32 interns and has substantially grown. In 2024, the Center funds 32 institutions, supporting up to 224 interns.
ACS DICR Internship Webinar on March 7
The ACS Center for Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Training will host an interactive webinar for interested institutions to provide an overview of the mechanism and address any questions during a Q&A session. To learn more, we invite you to join us!
When: Friday, March 7, 2025, at 11 am EST
Internship Program Basics
DICR interns spend 10 weeks during the summer engaging in hands-on research. They’re mentored by an accomplished investigator in a cancer research lab or in a clinical or community setting.
Interns receive a stipend of $500 a week, for a total of $5,000 for the summer internship.
No academic credit is awarded.
Throughout the year, interns engage in planned career-development and networking activities.
Each ACS-funded institution sets the criteria and process for DICR Intern applications and their review. Institutions may choose 4 to 8 interns using a selection committee. All interns are paired with mentors based on their research interest.
Institutional Eligibility Criteria
The American Cancer Society Diversity in Cancer Research funding opportunities are available to institutions who meet the institutional and administrative eligibility criteria. Eligible nonprofit institutions may be academic institutions, cancer centers, or an equivalent nonprofit institution with academic affiliations. All institutions must have an established cancer research program, experience with Pathways Programs, have held an ACS or NIH institutional research or training grant, and be accredited to confer bachelor, masters, doctoral, and health professional degrees.
For eligibility criteria, see: ACS Center for DICR Training All Grant Policies and Instructions
Program Funding
Funding to launch the ACS DICR Internship Program was from the generous support of the DeLuca Foundation, an endowment from Elizabeth and Phill Gross and their family, Merck, and multiple others.
For all questions: Email DiversityResearchTraining@cancer.org
