ACS Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program

The Yale ACS DICR Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program is designed as a two-year cancer research experience for recent bachelor’s degree recipients to gain the research skills and academic credentials needed to become competitive applicants to and successful students in highly selective PhD or MD-PhD graduate programs in biological and biomedical sciences. Participants conduct independent laboratory research under the supervision of a Yale Cancer Center faculty mentor, take graduate courses in cancer biology, and participate in program-specific seminars and workshops, as well as institutional training activities with beginning graduate students in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences. All ACS DICR Post-Baccalaureate Fellows are expected to apply to PhD or MD-PhD programs to begin graduate study immediately following successful completion of the program.

If you are from a background that has been underrepresented in the sciences, a first-generation college graduate or from an economically disadvantaged background, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

ACS DICR Postbaccalaureate Fellows program applicants must meet the following criteria:

• US citizen or US permanent resident
• A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above, or a strong upward trajectory in STEM grades
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field prior to the start of the program, but no more than three years before the start of the program
• An interest in cancer research and in pursuing a PhD or MD-PhD in biomedical sciences

The Yale ACS DICR Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program is a two-year program and is primarily for participants interested in pursuing a PhD or MD-PhD. If you plan to pursue an MD, you are not eligible to participate.

For more information about other ACS Research Program Initiatives: https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-center-for-diversity-in-cancer-research-training.html

The American Cancer Society (ACS) DICR Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program is a two-year program that runs from mid-July 2024 to mid-June 2026. Fellows will conduct independent research supervised by a faculty member and spend 25% of their time engaged in an educational curriculum designed to provide them with the qualifications for becoming a competitive applicant to top graduate schools. Research projects and coursework will be determined with input from faculty mentors and program directors based on individual assessments.

Program participants receive an annual stipend of $39,936 for living expenses. Participants also receive financial support to cover tuition for graduate courses during the program, health insurance, MCAT or GRE preparation material (if necessary), $2000 for relocation costs, and up to $2,500 for expenses related to attending one scientific conference in the US, such as the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting.

Participants are required to live in New Haven and use a portion of their stipend to cover housing and other living expenses.

Participants chose their faculty mentors in consultation with the program directors.