VCORCDP Internal Advisory Committee (IAC)
The major function of the VCORCDP Internal Advisory Committee (IAC) is to provide continuous oversight and advice regarding program operations. The IAC is chaired by co-program director, Dr. Debra Friedman, MD, MS, of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology. Specifically, the IAC:
1) Screens and selects candidates for program participation.
2) Assists in the mentor selection process.
3) Reviews and approves each scholar’s cancer research career development plan.
4) Evaluates each scholar’s progress every six months to make necessary improvements and/or to recommend termination.
5) Evaluates the participation and success of faculty mentors.
6) Promotes the transition of scholars to extramural mechanisms of support and independence.
7) Evaluates the overall effectiveness of the program in terms of the quality and availability of applicants, the effectiveness of mentors, the progress of scholars, the success of scholars following completion of the career development program, and the success of recruitment strategies in identifying qualified applicants with a focus on URM.
The IAC meets every six months to review program progress and to evaluate applicants and scholars. The IAC is comprised of investigators from each subspecialty of oncology from which most scholars apply. The Committee has also been constituted to reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of leadership in cancer research at Vanderbilt. All IAC members are experienced investigators who have a record of mentoring and research productivity as well as administrative leadership.
Internal Advisory Committee Members
| Name | Credentials | Department/Division | Photo |
| Ben Ho Park | MD, PhD | Division of Hematology & Oncology |  |
| W. Kimryn Rathmell | MD, PhD | Division of Hematology & Oncology |  |
| Michael DeBaun | MD, MS | Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology |  |
| Carrie L. Kitko | MD | Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology |  |
| Michael Freeman | PhD | Department of Radiation Oncology |  |
| David Penson | MD, MPH | Department of Urology |  |
| Kelvin Moses | MD, PhD | Department of Urology |  |
| David Barocas | MD, MS | Department of Urology |  |
| Ronald Alvarez | MD | Department of Gynecologic Oncology |  |
| Tuya Pal | MD, MS | Division of Genetic Medicine |  |
| Christopher Williams | MD, PhD | Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition |  |
| Scott Hiebert | PhD | Department of Biochemistry |  |
| Ann Richmond | PhD | Department of Cancer Biology |  |
| Karen Winkfield | MD, PhD | Department of Radiation Oncology |  |
| Vicki Keedy | MD, MSCI | Division of Hematology & Oncology |  |
VCORCDP External Advisory Committee (EAC)
The major function of the VCORCDP External Advisory Committee (EAC) is to provide input into the scientific direction of program, ensure the program is meeting national workforce needs, and monitor progress, accomplishments, and trajectory to further programmatic advancement. These EAC faculty are all oncology physician-scientists, leaders in oncology, and directors or associate directors of oncology K12 programs at their institutions.
External Advisory Committee Members
| Name | Credentials | Oncology Division | Institution | Photo |
| Irwin Bernstein | MD | Pediatric Oncology | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center |  |
| Susan Blaney | MD | Pediatric Oncology | Baylor College of Medicine |  |
| Ramaswamy Govindan | MD | Medical Oncology | Washington University |  |
| Funmi Olopade | MD | Medical Oncology | University of Chicago |  |
| Lucile Adams-Campbell | PhD | Medical Oncology | Georgetown University |