Funder: Conquer Cancer - the ASCO Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): September 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Meeting registration, airfare, lodging and per diem support; $185 toward a U.S. visa; $100 toward insurance; three years of ASCO membership
Summary: IDEA supports early-career oncology physicians in low- and middle-income countries through ASCO Annual Meeting attendance and mentorship to improve cancer care at home.
Key Information: Applicants may have completed no more than one academic year of formal training in high-income countries.
Description
The International Development & Education Award (IDEA), run by ASCO and funded through Conquer Cancer, supports early-career oncology physicians in low- and middle-income countries. Recipients are matched with an ASCO member mentor in the United States or Canada, attend the ASCO Annual Meeting, and visit their mentor’s institution afterward. The program combines oncology education, leadership skills training, and long-term professional relationships to improve cancer care in recipients’ home countries.
The companion IDEA in Palliative Care (IDEA-PC) offers medical education and scientific mentorship focused on palliative and supportive care. Recipients attend sessions on symptom management, communication, end-of-life care, and related topics, then experience multidisciplinary palliative care at their mentor’s institution. Both programs expect recipients to share their learning with colleagues after returning home.
