Alexandria, Va. – Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation today announced the recipients of its 2020 Medical Student Rotation for Underrepresented Populations (MSR), Resident Travel Awards for Underrepresented Populations (RTA), Long-term International Fellowship (LIFe), and International Development and Education Awards (IDEA). 

All four awards are designed to support the work and interest of young researchers and medical professionals and help facilitate the recruitment and retention of individuals from low- and middle-income countries and populations underrepresented in medicine to oncology careers. 

“Now more than ever we see the need to share health information at a global level, and patients with cancer need a diverse, informed workforce delivering quality care to prevent and treat all types of cancer,” said Thomas G. Roberts Jr., MD, FASCO, chair, Conquer Cancer Board of Directors. “Conquer Cancer is honored to unite with generous donors to advance oncology professionals around the world so they can share information to better serve patients everywhere.” 

The MSR provides clinical or clinical research rotations for U.S. medical students from underrepresented populations in medicine who are interested in a career in oncology and pairs them with an oncology mentor. Award recipients participate in a 4-week rotation in a variety of care and research settings.

The 2020 MSR recipients include: 
•    Nia Adeniji, Stanford School of Medicine 
•    Jacqueline Aredo, Stanford University 
•    Marie Baguidy, Medical College of Wisconsin 
•    Amanda Brisco, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine 
•    Ian Cruickshank, Howard University 
•    Ulysses Gardner, Jr., Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine 
•    Amaris Geisler, CUNY School of Medicine 
•    Jesus Juarez, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA 
•    Jazmyne Tabb, University of South Alabama College of Medicine 
•    Rehema Thomas, George Washington University 
•    Romaric Waguia Kouam, Campbell School of Osteopathic Medicine
 
The RTA provides funding for medical residents from underrepresented populations in medicine to attend an ASCO Annual Meeting , where recipients will get the chance to network with oncologists, attend educational sessions, and develop a deeper understanding of the oncology field. 

The 2020 RTA recipients include: 
•     Leyla Bojanini-Molina, MD, Mayo Clinic 
•    Adrian Diaz, MD, University of Michigan 
•    Fernando Diaz, MD, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 
•    Ogochukwu Ezeoke, MD, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago 
•    Mario Martinez, MD, New York Presbyterian - Weill Cornell 
•    Joseph Reza, MD, AdventHealth Orlando 
•    Trevor Silva, MD, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine 

The LIFe provides early-career oncologists in low- to middle-income countries with support and resources needed to advance their training by deepening their relationship with a mentor in the United States, Canada, or European Union. During the one-year fellowship, the recipients receive valuable training and experience, which they use to effect change in cancer care in their home country. 

The 2020 LIFe recipient is: 
•    Fidel Rubagumya, MD, MMed 

“From Theory to Practice: Implementing the Choosing Wisely Africa Recommendations” 
Home Institution: Rwanda Military Hospital 
Host Institution: Queen’s University 
Mentor: Christopher Booth, MD, FRCPC
 
The IDEA connects early-career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries with oncology leaders based in Canada and the United States to establish mentoring relationships. The award includes registration to the ASCO20 Virtual Science Program and a post-meeting visit to the Mentor’s institution, with the goal of developing a long-term, knowledge-sharing relationship to improve cancer care in the Mentee’s home country. The International Development and Education Award in Palliative Care (IDEA-PC) provides this same opportunity for early-career oncologists with a specific interest in palliative medicine.  

The 2020 IDEA recipients include: 
•    Flor Maria Armillas, MD, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (Mexico)  
•    Barnabas Atwiine, MBBS, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda)  
•    Ranjana Karmacharya Badgami, MBBS, MD, Nepal Cancer Hospital and Research Center (Nepal)  
•    Samvel Bardakhchyan, MD, Hematology Center after Prof. R.H. Yeolyan (Armenia)  
•    Biniyam Tefera Deressa, MD, Adama Hospital Medical College (Ethiopia)  
•    Fedja Radmilo Djordjevic, MD, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (Serbia)   
•    Carolina Gabay, MD, Angel H. Roffo Cancer Institute (Argentina)  
•    Ann Meredith Garcia Trinidad, MD, Dagupan Doctors Villaflor Memorial Hospital (Philippines)  
•    Gustavo Cartaxo de Lima Gössling, MD, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (Brazil)  
•    Hang Thu Hoang, MD, MSc, National Cancer Hospital Viet Nam (Vietnam)   
•    Muhammad Rafiqul Islam, MBBS, MD, National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital (Bangladesh)  
•    Sonia Mathai, MBBS, MD, Tata Medical Center, Kolkata (India)  
•    Nicaise Nsabimana, MD, Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence (Burundi)   
•    Adeyemi Adebola Okunowo, MBBS, MPH, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (Nigeria)  
•    Sami Saleem Omar, MBBS, Rizgary Oncology Center (Iraq)  
•    Yury Savenka, MD, Gomel Regional Oncology Clinic (Belarus)  
•    Assem Suleimenova, MD, PhD, Kazkh Institute Oncology and Radiology (Kazakhstan)  
•    Musliu Adetola Tolani, MBBS, PGCertPH, FWACS, FMCS, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria (Nigeria)  
•    Nino Vardiashvili, MD, Medical Center Innova (Georgia)  
•    Hatice Inci Yaman Bajin, MD, Hacettepe University (Turkey)  
 
The 2020 IDEA-PC recipients include: 
•    Gauri Chinchalker, MD, Indian Institute of Head and Neck Oncology (India)  
•    Coumba Gueye, MD, Joilot Curie Institute (Senegal)  
•    Rucha Patil, MBBS, Tata Memorial Hospital (India)  
•    Rubayat Rahman, MBBS, Bandabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (Bangladesh)  
 
Supporters 
The 2020 Medical Student Rotations are supported by BB&T Charitable Fund and Bristol-Myers Squibb. 

The 2020 Resident Travel Awards are sponsored by BB&T Charitable Fund. 

The 2020 Long-term International Fellowship is supported by Mission Endowment of Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation. 

The 2020 International Development and Education Awards are supported by AbbVie, Inc.