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Summer Experience Activities & Events

Summer Experience programs include career development activities tailored to specific areas of training. Through these activities, students explore emerging topics in cancer research and patient care. Participating in academic and social events gives students an opportunity to network with colleagues, trainees and world-renowned cancer specialists.

Activities Calendar

The Summer Experience features activities available to all summer trainees at MD Anderson. The following calendar provides a sampling of activities scheduled during a typical 10-week session. Activities for 2022 programs may vary.

Summer Experience Events

Orientation Events

Orientation: June 1, 8-11 a.m.
Resource Fair/Welcome Event: June 8, 9-10 a.m.
GSBS Student Research Day: June 24, all day
Poster Competition: Aug. 12, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.
Elevator Speech Competition: August 12, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Cancer Biology Boot Camp: 9-10:30 a.m., ZOOM

June 9: What is Cancer? (Steven Millward, Ph.D.)
June 10: Keeping the Cell Cycle in Check, Tumor Suppressors (Steven Millward, Ph.D.)
June 11: Death and Immortality: Evading Programmed Cell Death and Mitotic Crisis (Steven Millward, Ph.D.)
June 14: Blood and Fire: Vascularization and Inflammation (Steven Millward, Ph.D.)
June 15: Hitting the Target: Mechanisms of Chemotherapy(Steven Millward, Ph.D.)

Summer Experience Lecture Series: Lecture 4-5 p.m., ZOOM.

June 11: Welcome with Peter W.T. Pisters, M.D.
June 16: Mentoring Up - Steve Lee
June 23: Global Cancer Treatment and Prevention - Kathleen M. Schmeler, M.D.
June 30: Elevator Speech - Tamara Laskowski, Ph.D & Crafting an Effective Abstract - Postdoctoral Association
July 7: Synergy in Science: Training at MD Anderson - Bill Mattox Ph.D. & MD/PhD Program - Don Gibbons, M.D., Ph.D.
July 14: Radiation Oncology Research - Clifton David Fuller, M.D., Ph.D.
July 21: Immunology - James P. Allison, Ph.D.
July 28: Bench to Bedside - Vivek Subbiah, M.D.

Career Conversations: Mondays, 9-10 a.m., ZOOM

June 21: Careers in Academic Medicine - Ron DePinho, M.D.
June 28: Successful Scientist Panel - Diane Bodurka, M.D., MPH, Naoto Ueno, M.D., Ph.D.
July 12: Design and Present your Scientific Poster - Postoctoral Association
July 19: Pathway to Becoming a Physician Scientist - Michael Davies, M.D., Ph.D., Faye Johnson, M.D., Ph.D., Albert Koong, M.D., Ph.D.
July 26: Toolbox to Becoming a Compassionate Physician - Kelly Hunt, M.D., Justin Bird, M.D., Robert Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.
August 2: Diversity and Inclusion - Shibu Varghese, B.S., M.A.

Event Attire and Dress Code Policy

Dress Code

MD Anderson dress code is business casual. Most thermostats in our facilities are set at 75 degrees, but temperatures may seem cooler. Consider keeping a jacket, sweater or wrap at work. Consult your mentor regarding additional dress code requirements set by the department, including casual Fridays (some departments, but not all, allow jeans on Fridays). Students who plan to attend a Grand Rounds event scheduled on a Friday are advised not to wear jeans. Typical Houston summers are hot, humid and rainy, so please plan accordingly.

Acceptable Attire

Trousers/slacks/khakis
Knee-length skirts
Casual dresses
Collared button-down or polo-style shirts/blouses
Jackets, blazers, sweaters, wraps

Unacceptable Attire

Shorts
Jeans that are torn or frayed
T-shirts with slogans or advertising, other than MD Anderson shirts
Flip-flops
Hats
Miniskirts
Tops that are low-cut or that have a bare midriff

Event Attire

Professional attire (appropriate for a job interview) is recommended for the Poster Session and Elevator Speech Competition.

Men: Suit, long-sleeve dress shirt, slacks, tie or bow tie, vest, dress shoes
Women: Dress suit or pantsuit, career dress (knee-length or below), career blouse/skirt, dress shoes or flats