Juniors and seniors toured the NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, met experienced professionals and those just starting their careers
The Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Detroit’s FutureHealers program is presenting a unique opportunity to high school students in the Detroit area. A program once known as FocuSSTEM NextGen, is now a fresh opportunity for students to make connections in the biomedical field. This revamped and rebranded program is the perfect chance for students interested in gaining an additional perspective on what their future careers might look like.
Detroit FutureHealers’ goal is similar to FocuSSTEM NextGen, which is to empower underrepresented youth with hands-on STEM experiences in oncology. Karmanos’ Office of Cancer Research, Training and Education (CRTEC) has teamed up with Crockett Midtown High School of Science and Medicine.
On May 13, 2024, 30 students from Crockett Midtown were given the opportunity to visit Karmanos for the program’s first student visit. Students toured the infusion center, radiation oncology center and more, and received insight into the industry from scientists, researchers and physicians from Karmanos and Wayne State University (WSU). Segments of the tour, such as a look into a science lab guided by Sheryl Roberts, MChem, Ph.D., assistant professor of Oncology at WSU School of Medicine. Additionally, during the visit, students were able to listen to several lightning career talks, which consisted of short descriptions of career paths they took to get to where they are today, including professional experiences and degrees. Students learned about the day-to-day aspects of these professionals’ positions, as well. These speakers included:
- Saheed Ayodeji, Ph.D., research scientist and postdoctoral fellow at Karmanos and WSU
- Yasmeen Berry, M.D., Ph.D., biomedical graduate student at WSU
- Zoe Clark, medical physics graduate student at WSU
- Nina Hudgins, DNP, MSN, RN, director of Patient & Colleague Engagement and Volunteer Services at Karmanos
- Latonya Riddle-Jones, associate center director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Karmanos, assistant professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at WSU
- Angela Trepanier, professor of molecular medicine and genetics at WSU
In addition, Joe Weertz, educational outreach coordinator in the WSU School of Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, gave a presentation about the admissions process at WSU, including admission into the School of the Medicine. Student feedback from the first Detroit FutureHealers session has been overwhelmingly positive, with many students saying the experience inspired them. One of the students, Nahida Kamrul, enjoyed hearing that being a lifelong learner is an important part of this field.
“I liked when they were presenting how their life moved from one college to another – how the study never ends,” Kamrul said. “It doesn't matter what age you are, what career you're doing; you just learn every single day.”
Crockett Midtown is the first high school to participate in the revamped version of the program. The name of the program, Detroit FutureHealers, is a result from the Crocket Midtown students participating in a creative process. The students wanted the program’s name to more accurately reflect the program’s focus on the biomedical space, as opposed to strictly STEM. Working with Crockett Midtown’s principal, Sean Lively, Ed.D., Karmanos has been able to revamp and scale the program with plenty of helpful feedback.
“The exposure, the awareness, the talking to people who have a ton of degrees, all that experience, I think it’s opening their eyes. It’s giving them an idea of, ‘This is what I really want to do,’ or ‘I don't want to do that,’” Lively said. “I think a big part of this was not only infusing science and medicine together, and like every single one of our speakers has said, you need a mentor.”
One of the benefits that Karmanos wants to provide students with is long-term mentors in their desired fields. So, Karmanos is collaborating with Crocket Midtown on multiple grants, which if approved, will add to the opportunities and resources for the program.
There are plans to continue expanding the Detroit FutureHealers to more schools and provide additional opportunities this summer and fall. Morhaf Al Achkar, M.D., Ph.D., MS, FAAFP, associate center director of Education at Karmanos, and Danny Inman, program coordinator for CRTEC, have expressed a focus on including as many students as possible in this experience. Since one of the key aspects of the program is lasting mentorship, providing these students with unique experiences in the Karmanos Cancer Institute’s labs and clinics is helping to pave the way for their future careers in the biomedical field.
Learn more about the Office of Cancer Research, Training and Education, here.