The Cancer Society of Melbourne University is a student-run organisation founded in 2016 to foster interest, provide education and raise awareness across cancer research, clinical oncology and public health.
Through our affiliation with the Graduate Students’ Society of Melbourne University (GSA) and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC), we seek to increase engagement between undergraduate, research and post-graduate students with leading clinicians and researchers from the VCCC alliance. We seek to nurture interest in a career in oncology and cancer research, whilst providing a platform for patient advocacy and public health policy discussion as well as providing free-open access to oncology education materials and seminars
Specifically, the goals of CSM are to:
- Foster student interest in cancer research and clinical oncology
- Promote understanding of cancer medicine amongst all future clinicians, researchers, allied health & nursing staff as well as members of the general public
- Promote healthy living and education regarding strategies to minimise one’s risk of developing a malignancy
- Provide an opportunity for students to hear from cancer patients’ experiences from diagnosis through their treatment
- Provide educational materials aimed at medical student-level for patient-centred oncology-specific teaching
- Host regular seminars/webinars to increase engagement between clinicians, researchers and students whilst encouraging cross-discipline collaboration through multidisciplinary events
- Provide a platform for research groups within the VCCC alliance to publicise student-level research opportunities
- Provide networking opportunities for future scientists and clinicians, promoting interactions across disciplines for a common goal
- Creating a platform for students to liaise with key professional figures in the world of oncological medicine and research
- Organise fundraising events for cancer charities
- Encourage individuals from the community who have in the past or are still suffering from cancer to share their inspirational stories to motivate and educate future clinicians and scientists.
