Impact of a Training Navigation Program on the Professional Development of Scholars At a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center

Having an unsupportive culture has been identified as a reason that individuals leave the biomedical field. The purpose of this mixed methods convergent case study was to gain an understanding of how a supportive, mentoring-intensive, National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded program affected the participating scholars' professional identity and sense of belonging while facilitating their career-advancing accomplishments. This Training Navigation Program at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center (FPBCC) provided the group of scholars (which included predominantly predoctoral students but also postdoctoral fellows and early-stage faculty members, and two undergraduate associate members) with support for professional development activities and conference attendance along with networking opportunities and guidance in grant writing, bioinformatics, and appropriate usage of artificial intelligence in cancer research. The survey data and interview/focus group data on the first-year outcomes for the 39 predoctoral students in this Training Navigation Program were collected in parallel, and the results were combined to provide a deeper understanding of the participants' experiences. The results indicated that this program was successful in increasing the students' sense of belonging and professional identity, as well as their achievements in advancing their careers in cancer research.