Applications are now open!

2021 Patient Education

Ambassadors Program

Online Information Form and Application available here!

GRACE Patient Education Ambassador Program Overview

This nomination-only program is open to all oncology fellows and finishing-fellows. GRACE’s designated committee will review the nominees and select up to 4 participants for the honor of participating in the 2021 program. Nominees for this program will include those still in fellowship and embarking on their post-fellowship junior faculty or practice opportunities; however, it is required that they are still a fellow at the time of the deadline, April 15, 2021.

Benefits of Participation

Selected fellows will work closely with national and international leaders in various fields of oncology to develop new educational content for patients across a range of platforms that will help them become established emerging contributors in their fields of interest. They will receive training on digitally distributed content and social media, and their work will be highlighted and shared by the internationally recognized non-profit, GRACE, along with its network of established leaders in the oncology community and board members with an array of interests and connections. Participants will receive a stipend which will include a technology package and paid training in doctor-to-patient/family and broader communication in the field. These benefits are achieved through regular (approximately every 4-6 weeks) virtual meetings moderated by GRACE.

2019, the program’s pilot year, was met with great success, generating patient education content in the areas of supportive care and Latino Community Cancer Education. The 2020 program produced patient education content focused on breast cancer education, COVID-19 education, radiation oncology and clinical trials information. To date, content produced through this program has reached tens of thousands of cancer patients and caregivers.

Testimonials from 2019 Program Participants:

Dr. Arjun Gupta, Oncology Fellow, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

“I am incredibly grateful to the GRACE Patient Education Ambassadors Program. I had the full liberty (and support) to direct a ‘Supportive care patient education series’- these topics often do not receive the required attention in more traditional publications. I had the opportunity to record content with thought leaders in the field, and they have since remotely mentored me on various research projects. Directing this series cemented my interest in supportive care/ symptom management as I start to apply for grant funding and transition to a new faculty role in the next couple of years. Most importantly, the team at GRACE is happy, and passionate about patient education, and I thoroughly enjoyed the friendships this past year. I would recommend this program to all early career oncology professionals.”

Dr. Narjust Duma, Assistant Professor and Thoracic Oncologist, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center

“The GRACE ambassador program was one of my favorite experiences during training and my first months as faculty. The program gave me the opportunity to learn from patient education experts like Dr. Jack West, create content for patients with cancer in Spanish, and learn about all the aspects of a nonprofit organization like GRACE.”

Testimonials from some of the 2020 Program Participants:

Dr. Idalid (Ivy) Franco, radiation oncology resident at the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program in Boston, MA

“The GRACE ambassador program has been instrumental in providing the tools, skill development, and space needed to create content specifically geared toward Spanish-speaking patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been able to counteract myths and misinformation from our community with facts. I am extremely grateful to the program leadership and staff for their engagement and commitment to my development as a leader and educator in the field of oncology. I will be forever grateful to form part of the GRACE family!"

Dr. Medhavi Gupta, Hematology-Oncology fellow at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo NY

"Being a GRACE Patient Education Ambassador has been quite a fulfilling experience. The GRACE faculty and staff members are truly passionate about what they do, and our meetings were full of inspiration and fun. Through this platform, I got to create the “GRACE Breast Cancer Video Series” in collaboration with the leaders in the field and learned so much in the process. I am thankful for this opportunity and would highly recommend it to other trainees and early career professionals interested in patient education."

Dr. Abdul Rafeh Naqash, advanced fellow in the Early Clinical Trials Development Program and the Development Therapeutics Clinic at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD

“The Cancer GRACE experience was an excellent opportunity to learn from experts in the field about the importance of developing and honing on skills related to patient education. My focus was particularly related to developing patient centered content around some of the complex concepts around early phase clinical trials and immunotherapy side effects. Listening and interacting with guest faculty was highly motivational in my own professional and personal growth. It has been a real pleasure to work with the highly passionate GRACE staff throughout this one year who made this more than a worthwhile experience.”

Ideal Candidates for the 2021 Program

GRACE is looking for oncology fellows and finishing fellows with a particular interest and passion for communications, patient education, and for those who are simply looking for a way to give back to the oncology community. Ideal candidates should have strong written and oral communication skills as well as a proven ability to stay abreast of the latest advances in cancer medicine.

All application forms must be submitted by April 15, 2021 for consideration. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee selection into the program as the number of slots for this year will be contingent on grantor funding. Applicants will be contacted by April 30 with information regarding acceptance and the next steps. The year-long program runs from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

For more information and to apply, please see our online Program Form and Application or download the .pdf version available above, which can be emailed as an attachment to abickleman@cancerGRACE.org.  If you have any questions, please contact ABickleman@cancergrace.org or 888-501-1025 x 1.