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UK Cancer Center introduces cancer research internship program for deaf students

University of Kentucky campus
Mark Cornelison
/
University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky campus

Students at the Kentucky School for the Deaf can take part in a new internship program at the University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center.

The center is one of five statewide to take part in the Future Deaf Scientists program. Students involved learn about cancer treatment and research during the four-week summer program.

Nathan Vanderford is a professor at UK’s College of Medicine and leader of the program. He says it makes healthcare education much more accessible.

“These kinds of programs are critically important for these kinds of students. When we started working with the Kentucky School for the Deaf, one of the first things they told us was, ‘Our students don't have these kinds of opportunities,’” Vanderford said.

He says the goal is to encourage more interest in health sciences.

“The hope is that some of them will go on and continue in a science and medicine career. Some of them might go on to medical school, pharmacy school, dental school, nursing school, any kind of professional school in the healthcare setting,” Vanderford said.

Vanderford says the plan is to have the program be as similar as an experience non-deaf students would have. American Sign Language interpreters trained in medical terminology will be on hand to help.

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Shepherd joined WEKU in June 2023 as a staff reporter. He most recently worked for West Virginia Public Broadcasting as General Assignment Reporter. In that role, he collected interviews and captured photos in the northern region of West Virginia. Shepherd holds a master’s degree in Digital Marketing Communication and a bachelor’s in music from West Virginia University.
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