Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award

The Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award is designed to recruit outstanding U.S. Specialty Board eligible physicians (MDs and DOs only, not MD/PhDs) into cancer research careers by providing them with a protected research training experience under the mentorship of a highly qualified mentor. The award addresses two major obstacles to recruiting physicians into research: financial constraints and lack of research training opportunities for 'late bloomers' who decide after medical school to pursue research careers. The program provides funding for up to four years to enable recipients to pursue research intensively (at least 80% effort) while optionally maintaining clinical skills (no more than 20% effort). The award is structured to provide significant salary support and research expenses, with the expectation that institutions will provide additional support such as benefits and institutional overhead. In addition to the research funding, the Foundation will retire up to $100,000 of qualifying medical school debt still owed by award recipients. The goals are to transform these individuals into the highest quality physician-scientists capable of conducting research that has the potential to transform the diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of cancer, and to eliminate the financial disincentive to entering this career path.