2007 Application Catalog

Preceptorships - Office of the Director, NCI

Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine coordinates and enhances the activities of the NCI in the arena of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), in order to increase the amount of high-quality cancer research in this field by promoting and supporting research within CAM disciplines and modalities as they relate to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, cancer-related symptoms, and side effects of conventional treatment. Further information can be found at http://cancer.gov/occam/.

Director: Jeffrey D. White, M.D.

Deputy Director: Wendy B. Smith, M.A., Ph.D.

Potential Preceptor:

Wendy B. Smith, M.A., Ph.D.
Program Director
Research Development and Support Program
Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Office of the Deputy Director for Extramural Science
Office of the Director

Preceptor Area of Expertise Description:

Complementary and alternative medical approaches in the prevention and treatment of cancer, its symptoms and the side-effects of conventional treatment. Preceptor's specific expertise is in symptom management, particularly pain research.

Specific Research Projects:

• Surveys: The OCCAM is currently developing two surveys: one for the practitioner community and one designed for cancer researchers.
• Evaluation of the review process: An assessment of the type of CAM projects proposed and their review (what kinds of projects are reviewed in what way, are certain types of investigators more successful, if so within what types of review committees, what kinds of review expertise is most valuable, etc.)
• Evaluations of specific topics within the field such as nutrition, the use of CAM for cancer in different cultures, CAM in populations underrepresented in scientific research, etc.