CPRTP Summer Activities, Events & Resources

As of 2021, all activities, including final presentations, will be virtually on Zoom due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In addition, interns are encouraged to attend department activities. Students may use their free time to virtually shadow faculty or postdocs, meet with mentors, conduct informational interviews, form journal clubs with other trainees, and explore the MD Anderson Research Medical Library.  

The onboarding tasks noted below are mandatory, cannot be rescheduled, and required by MD Anderson to participate in the program. CPRTP Summer interns must keep the last two weeks prior to the start of the program open to complete onboarding.  Prior to the start of the program, students will receive an activities calendar (view an example), along with calendar invitations for MS Outlook and Google. Students must use their electronic calendars to organize each workday. Activities and assignments will vary each summer. 

MD Anderson RTP Onboarding (1 week prior to the start of the program)

• I-9 Verification Process on MD Anderson campus (for students appointed as in-person only)
  
• COVID-19 testing on MD Anderson campus (for students appointed as in-person only)
• Virtual Orientation with the MD Anderson Office of Research Trainee Programs (RTP) - (mandatory for ALL summer interns)

Orientation (Week 1)

• MD Anderson New Trainee Check-In
• Two-day CPRTP Orientation 
• SE Welcome Event (All Summer Interns)

Mandatory Weekly Events 

• SE Career Conversations (Mondays, 9-10 a.m.)
• SE Weekly Lecture Series and Reception (Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m.)
  
• CPRTP Career Conversations (Tuesdays, Noon-1 p.m.)
  
• CPRTP Professional Development Sessions (Thursdays, 4-5 p.m.)
• Cancer Prevention & Control Grand Rounds-CPCGR (Fridays, Noon-1 p.m.)
• CPCGR Meet-the-Speaker Trainee Brown Bag (Fridays, 1:15-2 p.m.)

Required Assignments & Activities 

• Informational Interviews
  
• Educational Abstract
• Elevator Speech Workshops 
  
• Scientific Poster Workshop

Optional, Student-Lead Events

• Shadowing
• Journal Clubs
• What Color is Your Parachute? Book Club
• Volunteering

The 10-week summer research experience will conclude with two virtual Zoom events during the last week of the program:

CPRTP Summer Trainee Exposition

The Summer Trainee Exposition is hosted by the Cancer Prevention Research Trainee Program. All CPRTP summer students will hone their oral presentation skills by presenting a 90-second Elevator Speech about their summer research project. This 90-minute event takes place on the last Tuesday of the summer during week 10. Attendees include CPRTP summer interns (each intern will present); Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences (DCPPS) faculty and staff; summer mentors, research teams, home department staff, and family and friends of summer trainees.

Each CPRTP summer trainee will present a 90-second elevator speech (students will give presentations in alphabetical order by last name), and we will conclude the exposition with poster awards. 

MD Anderson Summer Experience Final Event: Elevator Speech Competition 

The MD Anderson Summer Experience Elevator Speech Competitions is hosted by the CPRTP and open to all (250+) MD Anderson summer interns. 

This event will take place on the last Wednesday or Thursday of the summer program during week 10. 

Earlier in the summer, all summer interns are invited to attend Elevator Speech workshops to learn how to create and deliver a 90-second elevator speech about their summer research. Students will be invited to register for the competition and submit a 90-second audition video. A panel of experts will review and score the videos to determine the finalists. The selected finalists will compete during the Elevator Speech competition at 11am for a cash prize in the categories of Best Speech and People's Choice. CPRTP summer students are not required to enter the competition. Read more about this event.

Dress Code

Students are encouraged to dress in business casual attire during the week and professional attire during final presentations in Week 10. The dress code applies to all summer interns regardless of remote or in-person/on-campus appointment location. 

Acceptable attire

• Trousers/slacks/khakis/pants
• Knee-length skirts
• Casual dresses (short or long sleeved)
• Polo or button-down shirts/blouses
• Blazers/sweaters, pashminas, jackets
• Shoes that cover most of your feet

Unacceptable attire

• Shorts, torn or frayed jeans
• T-shirts with slogans or advertising (MD Anderson shirts are acceptable)
• Flip-flops
• Hats
• Mini-skirts
• Leggings
• Revealing or bare midriff tops

For in-person/on-campus students: Most thermostats within MD Anderson buildings are set at 73 degrees, but will seem much cooler. Sweaters, pashminas or jackets can be kept at your desk in case you are cold while indoors. Consult your mentor regarding any additional dress code requirements set by the department, including casual Fridays (some departments allow jeans on Fridays, while others do not). If there is a Grand Rounds event scheduled for a Friday, we do not recommend wearing jeans. Typical Houston summers are very hot, humid and rainy, so please plan accordingly.

Event Attire

Students should dress in professional attire during both the CPRTP Summer Trainee Exposition and SE Elevator Speech Competition. Professional attire is defined as clothing worn on a job interview. Options include suits, dress shirts or blouses (long or short sleeve), slacks/trousers, ties (including bow), vests, dresses (knee length, long, or A-line), skirts (knee length or long), and comfortable dress shoes. 

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