Applications are now open to oncology fellows and finishing fellows

Program Information Form and Application

Patient Education Ambassadors Program 2024

Please click here to access the online application form

The Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education (GRACE; cancergrace.org) is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Howard (Jack) West in 2007.  GRACE’s mission is to provide expert-mediated information directly to cancer patients and their caregivers to empower them to become direct partners in their cancer treatment.  

GRACE Patient Education Ambassador Program Overview

This program is open to all oncology fellows and finishing-fellows who are nominated to apply for this program by their Director and/or who apply independently of a nomination. GRACE’s designated committee will review the nominees and select up to 4 participants for the honor of  participating in the 2024 program. Nominees for this program will include those still in their fellowship as well as those embarking on their post-fellowship junior faculty or practice positions; however, it is required that nominees and applicants are still a fellow at the time of the deadline, March 31, 2024.

Benefits of Participation

Selected fellows will collaborate closely with national and international leaders across various fields of oncology to develop innovative educational content for patients across a range of platforms. This engagement will empower them to emerge as influential contributors in their chosen 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 modest stipend inclusive of a technology package, along with compensated training in doctor-to-patient/family and broader field-related communication skills. These benefits will be facilitated through regular monthly virtual meetings moderated by GRACE. 

Now entering the 6th year of this program, we have engaged with 21 oncology fellows, producing content in a diverse array of areas such as Community Oncology, Supportive Care, Latino Community Cancer Education, Breast Cancer Education, COVID-19 Education, Radiation Oncology,  Clinical Trials Education, Hematology Oncology and Geriatric Oncology Education,  to name just a few. Content produced through this program has reached tens of thousands of cancer patients and caregivers, educating and empowering them to become partners in their cancer care.

Ideal Candidates for the 2024 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 March 31, 2024 for consideration.  Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee selection into the program. Applicants will be contacted no later than April 30, 2024 with information regarding acceptance and the next steps. The year-long program runs from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

 Click to Apply

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Bickleman, GRACE Executive Director, at:  abickleman@cancergrace.org or 888-501-1025 x 1

Testimonials from Previous Program Participants:

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

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“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.”

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Dr. Narjust Duma, Assistant Professor, and Thoracic Oncologist, Dana Farber 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.”

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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!"

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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. Aakash Desai, first-year hematology-oncology fellow at Mayo Clinic

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“The Cancer GRACE Ambassador program has been an amazing experience with opportunity to learn about patient education and advocacy from experts in the field. My focus was particularly related to developing patient centered content around clinical trials, thoracic oncology and included developing global content for patients with cancer in India.  The stellar guest faculty provided great avenue for career development. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with the passionate friends at GRACE.

Dr. Eric Singhi, chief hematology/oncology fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas

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“I am privileged to have had the opportunity to serve as a GRACE Patient Education Ambassador, and I would highly recommend this experience to all trainees in the field of oncology! Through my involvement with GRACE, I have connected with patient education experts across the field to learn more about how to leverage resources like social media to create and effectively disseminate educational content for patients. I look forward to staying connected with the GRACE family in the future and focusing our collective efforts on empowering cancer patients and enhancing the cancer patient experience!”

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Dr. Fernando Diaz, second-year hematology-oncology fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"I've truly enjoyed working with the GRACE team this year and learning from all the great speakers that have provided critical insight to understand the needs of our patients. GRACE has also been very supportive in allowing me to develop educational resources for the Spanish-speaking cancer population, recognizing the critical gaps in education in underserved communities."

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Dr. Sridevi Rajeeve, third-year Hematology-Oncology fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY

“Involving with GRACE has been a significant highlight of my fellowship training. The opportunity to help advance patient education by evolving into informed and empathic patient ambassadors under the tutelage of the whole team at GRACE starting with Dr. West, Amy Bickleman, Maria Christian and countless other faculty and alumni is immense. The clinical, networking, and technological support to transform ideas into multimedia entities has been extraordinary and lays the groundwork for future patient-centered content creation.”

Dr. Ivy Riano, second-year Hematology-Oncology fellow at Dartmouth Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

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“I consider the GRACE Patient Education Ambassadors Program to be one of the highlights of my training. During the program, I created Spanish-language content for patients with cancer. As one of my biggest achievements, I recorded my own “Educational Series on Immunotherapy for Spanish-speaking Patients”, a topic I am extremely passionate about. With great mentorship from Dr. Jack West and outstanding technical support from the GRACE staff, I was able to hone my patient education skills and produce high-quality content for patients with cancer. Having the opportunity to work with the friends from GRACE has been amazing! I truly recommend this program to trainees and early career professionals interested in patient education!”

Dr. Jacob Adashek, first-year Oncology fellow at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Johns Hopkins Hospital

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"Being a GRACE ambassador has allowed me to hone my public speaking and presenting skills and more effectively disseminate information in a patient-friendly format. This program has allowed me to work closely with colleagues who have become friends on dynamic platforms, including a video series and a JAMA Oncology patient page. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program, and I strongly encourage others to apply."