Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Workforce Development

The mission of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is to provide expert, compassionate care to children and adults with cancer while advancing the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, and prevention of cancer and related diseases. As an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute, the Institute also provides training for new generations of physicians and scientists, designs programs that promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations, and disseminates innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries to our target community across the United States and throughout the world.

The DFCI Office of Workforce Development (WD) employs high school youth from its various school and community partners to participate in a Student Training Program. Students work 8-15 hours per week during the academic-year program and transition to 30 hours per week, for seven weeks, during the summer months. Students are placed in hospital departments related to their areas of career interest to get real work experience. Students also participate in mandatory professional development workshops and college tours to enhance their professional presence and increase their understanding of the college admissions and financial aid process.