Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research

The Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research Summer Program (UPR SRP) offers undergraduate, graduate, and medical trainees from the University of Puerto Rico System an
opportunity to explore biomedical cancer research, to gain firsthand experiences and mentorship in basic, clinical or translational cancer research alongside world-renowned faculty, as well as to attend targeted institutional lectures and seminars focused on cancer medicine and research. Some of the
program benefits include:

active participation in the technical aspects of projects, including interpreting experimental data and presenting findings
mentorship in the fundamentals of scientific research, which include application of techniques, experimental design and analysis, as well as how to present and publish findings suitable for peer review
introduction to the clinical problems presented by cancer patients through time spent in clinical areas
numerous opportunities to attend seminars and lecture series on a wide variety of research topics

Return visits are offered to trainees demonstrating a sincere interest in biomedical cancer research and an outstanding research ability during their visit.

The Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research Summer Program (UPR SRP) is sponsored by U54CA096300 from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

Other Resources

Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research Website

2025 Summer Program

Applications open Nov. 18

Apply Now

Application Deadlines

Applications Open: November 18th

Applications Close: January 15th; 11:59pm CST

1. Click on "Apply Now" link in the red box to open the SLATE System's Inquiry Form for The Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research Summer Program (UPR SRP)

2. Before completing the Inquiry Form, please read all instructions thoroughly.

1) Please Read Before You Apply

2) Additional Documents Required If Selected As A Final Candidate

3) Onboarding Contingencies That Require Early Action

3. Complete the Inquiry Form and upload the required documents:

Personal Information (e.g., name, email, etc.)
Current Enrollment (i.e., your
current school and enrollment dates)
Upload Resume/CV
Official Transcript(s)
- Screenshots, print-outs, and class schedules are not acceptable
Statement of Research Experience and Interest (Max 5000 characters including inclusive of spaces and punctuation) – Describe your prior research experience and specific areas of cancer research you would like to explore this summer. If you do not have any research experience to date and/or are interested in working in any area of cancer research, please acknowledge this in your statement. Also, use this section to describe your interest in pursuing an academic and/or professional career in cancer research and/or medicine. We are particularly interested in knowing whether your intent is to pursue an MD, PhD, MD/PhD, or other degree. Please specify the exact degrees you plan on pursing.

Note: Prior to clicking the SUBMIT button for your Inquiry Form, please double-check you have correctly uploaded all of the required items. The Slate
system will not accept revised documents at this stage.

4. Create your Slate Account. After clicking the SUBMIT button on your Inquiry Form, you will receive an email from MD Anderson Education & Training (trainee@mdanderson.org), subject line: "Complete your Trainee Position Inquiry Request". Follow the instructions and click the hyperlink in the email to create a Slate account and request your letters of recommendation.

5. Complete the Application

Read the Application Instructions
Two (2) Letters of Recommendation:
- In the Recommendations screen, enter the contact information for both individuals who will write your letters of recommendation. Ideally, recommenders should be anyone who has known you for more than a year and preferably a faculty mentor, professor, research lab manager, or other professional in academia. All reccommenders must have an advanced terminal degree (MD, Ph.D., etc.). After the applicant enters the recommender's information in the Slate system, the recommender will receive an email notification from trainee@mdanderson.org, subject line "Recommendation Request from YOUR NAME for MD Anderson Cancer Center" and a link to upload the letter of recommendation to your account. All submitted letters must be submitted on institutional letterhead with a signature. You will receive an email when the letter has been successfully uploaded.
- Returning Scholar Applicants – In addition to the two recommendation letters from faculty outside of MD Anderson, please also include a recommendation letter from your previous faculty mentor at MD Anderson.
Complete the Additional Demographics and Future Plans form
Complete the Internship or Graduation Requirement form
Complete the Academic Awards and Honors form

Note: There is no submit button in the "Complete the Application" stage. To check the status of your application, log on to your Slate account and select 'Status' from the menu. Your application is complete when all sections are complete and both letters of recommendation have been uploaded to your account. Incomplete applications will be purged after the deadline has passed. For more information, please feel free to email the Program Contact, Sherri De Jesús, MHA, MA at sdejesus@mdanderson.org.

Eligibility

Undergraduate, graduate, and medical scholars (MS1 and MS2 only) from the University of Puerto Rico System in good academic standing are eligible
to apply for The Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research Summer Program (UPR SRP). Fifth year seniors returning to their undergraduate program in the fall of 2025 may also apply.

The UPR SRP is looking for scholars who:

Have a strong interest in cancer research
Are ready to work in fast-paced research labs
Work well with diverse teams
Are open to learning and willing to ask questions
Strive for excellence in their work
Welcome constructive criticism of their work in the spirit of professional development
Are enthusiastic, curious, and self-motivated
Can work the entire length of the program; early or late program start/end dates are not permitted

Program Dates and Work Schedule

The undergraduate and graduate programs are 9-week programs from Monday, June 2, 2025 to Friday, August 1, 2025.

The medical program is an 8-week program from Monday, June 2, 2025 to Friday, July 25, 2025.

Both programs operate based on a 40-hour work week. MD Anderson’s normal hours of operation are 8 am to 5 pm; however, individual schedules may vary according to mentor and/or laboratory needs and expectations. Selected scholars are expected to complete the entire length of the program; early or late program start/end dates are not permitted.

Stipend, Housing, Expenses, Travel

Accepted scholars will receive a stipend of $17.00/hour for a 40-hour work week for 9-weeks (undergraduate and graduate students) or 8-weeks (medical students). This compensation is intended to help subsidize cost-of-living expenses and is considered taxable income; therefore, appropriate federal taxes will be deducted. All paychecks will be issued via direct deposit on the 5th and 20th of each month.

Airfare and housing may be provided upon request to support selected scholars’ temporary residence in the city during the program.

Mentor Match Process

Selected scholars will be paired with a faculty member from MD Anderson who is actively engaged in cancer research. If you are interested in a specific area of cancer research, please indicate this in your Statement of Research Experience and Interest. While we will attempt to match students with mentors in accordance with declared interests, all matches are based on faculty availability. If accepted, the mentor matching process can take up to four weeks; however, you will be notified via email of your assigned mentor prior to the program start date.