What is the Global Oncology Fellowship Program?
The Global Oncology Fellowship Program is an international training and mentorship initiative of the University of Colorado Cancer Center. The program connects health professionals with individualized mentorship, education, research and implementation expertise, and observational experiences at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
The inaugural Colorado–Guatemala Cancer Control Implementation Fellowship will include an approximately four-week experience in Colorado followed by six months of virtual mentorship and project implementation after fellows return to Guatemala.
Who is eligible to apply?
The program is intended for health professionals working in cancer control in their home countries. Applicants may include physicians, nurses, public health professionals, epidemiologists, cancer registrars, researchers, Ministry of Health personnel, and other professionals involved in cancer prevention, care, research, surveillance, or health-system delivery.
Applicants must hold at least a university bachelor's or relevant professional degree, have at least two years of relevant professional experience, have institutional support, and be able to participate in approximately four weeks of training in Colorado followed by six months of post-fellowship mentorship.
How many fellows will be selected?
The inaugural cohort is expected to include four fellows, with the intention of selecting one fellow in each of the four priority areas.
What are the priority areas for the fellowship?
The inaugural Guatemala cohort will focus on:
- Cervical cancer prevention and screening
- Cancer registries and cancer data systems
- Resource-stratified clinical guidelines
- Palliative and supportive care
When will the fellowship take place?
Fellowship placements are expected to occur during the first half of 2027. The exact dates will be determined after selection.
How long is the program?
The in-person fellowship experience in Colorado will last approximately four weeks.
After returning home, fellows will continue participating in the program through approximately six months of virtual mentorship and project implementation.
What will I do during the four weeks in Colorado?
Each fellowship experience will be individualized. Depending on your project and learning objectives, activities may include:
- Research and implementation training
- Educational conferences
- Public health activities
- Multidisciplinary meetings
- Meetings with faculty and program leaders
- Clinical observation
- Project-development time
- Development of your Implementation Roadmap
The final schedule will be developed jointly by the fellow and mentor.
Will I be able to participate in clinical care?
Clinical experiences associated with the fellowship will be observational. Fellows will not provide independent patient care in the United States.
Specific clinical observation opportunities will depend on the fellow's interests, mentor recommendations, availability, and the requirements and approval processes of participating clinical institutions.
Do I need to have a research project before applying?
You should apply with a proposed implementation project addressing a clearly defined cancer-control problem within your institution, community, or health system.
However, you are not expected to submit a complete protocol or fully developed implementation plan. A major purpose of the fellowship is to refine your project with your mentor and develop a detailed Implementation Roadmap during your time in Colorado.
What is an Implementation Roadmap?
The Implementation Roadmap is the practical plan you will develop with your mentor for advancing your project after returning home.
It will include:
- Project objectives
- Target population or setting
- Planned activities
- Key stakeholders
- Implementation steps
- Required resources
- Timeline
- Measures of success
- Potential barriers and strategies to address them
- Plans for sustainability
How will I be matched with a mentor?
Fellows will be matched with a University of Colorado mentor or mentorship team based on their proposed project, professional background, learning objectives, and areas of interest.
You do not need to identify a University of Colorado mentor before applying.
What happens after I return home?
The fellowship does not end when you leave Colorado.
Fellows will participate in approximately monthly virtual meetings for six months with their mentor and program leadership while beginning implementation of their projects.
Fellows will be expected to provide a progress update at approximately three months and submit a six-month implementation report describing activities, achievements, challenges, adaptations, and next steps.
What could come from my fellowship project?
Depending on the project, longer-term outcomes could include:
- New or improved programs or clinical processes
- Training for healthcare professionals
- Cancer registry or data tools
- Clinical or implementation guidelines
- Educational materials
- Research or quality-improvement protocols
- Abstracts or conference presentations
- Manuscripts
- Future grant proposals
Is financial support available?
The fellowship is expected to provide support for eligible fellowship-related expenses, which may include:
- Travel to and from Colorado
- Accommodation
- Local transportation
- Living expenses
- Required program-related costs
Specific financial arrangements will be communicated to selected fellows.
Will I need a visa?
Yes. Selected international fellows must meet applicable University of Colorado and U.S. immigration requirements.
For eligible participants in this program, CU's International Student and Scholar Services has identified the J-1 Short-Term Scholar category as the appropriate pathway.
Selected fellows will receive instructions from the program regarding the required documentation and immigration process.
What documentation will selected fellows need to provide?
Selected fellows should expect to provide information and documentation needed for University onboarding and J-1 processing. Current requirements include items such as:
- Required J-1 scholar information
- English-language proficiency documentation
- Faculty Sponsor Agreement information
- Information required for Export Control review
- Additional documentation requested by CU Human Resources or International Student and Scholar Services
Additional instructions will be provided directly to selected fellows.
Is English proficiency required?
Yes. Applicants must have sufficient English proficiency to participate in fellowship activities.
Selected fellows will also need to meet the University's English-language proficiency documentation requirements for J-1 sponsorship.
Can I submit my application in Spanish?
Yes. Applications may be submitted in Spanish or English.
What do I need to submit with my application?
The current application requires:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Personal Statement
- Proposed Implementation Project
- Fellowship Learning Objectives and Interests
- Institutional Letter of Support
What should the Institutional Letter of Support include?
The letter should confirm the applicant's role and institutional affiliation, support for approximately four weeks in Colorado, support for the proposed project's general goals, and the opportunity to apply the fellowship experience after returning home.
It should also indicate support for reasonable implementation efforts and continued participation during the six-month mentorship period.
How will fellows be selected?
Applications will be evaluated based on factors including:
- Importance of the cancer-control problem
- Quality and feasibility of the proposed project
- Potential impact in Guatemala
- Applicant experience and leadership potential
- Relevance and clarity of learning objectives
- Institutional support
- Sustainability
Finalists may be invited to participate in a virtual interview.
What are the application dates?
The current anticipated timeline is:
Applications open: November 1, 2026
Application deadline: December 7, 2026
Selection: January 2027
Fellowship placements: First half of 2027
Post-fellowship: Six months of mentorship and project implementation
Who should I contact if I have additional questions?
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Global Oncology Program
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Program Contact: [email protected]
