Summer 2025 Ovarian Screening Research Program Internship

This is a Denison Exclusive Internship. Graduating seniors do not qualify for
funding. Stipend support is provided through the Denison Internship Program
and the student is required to participate in the program. Reach out to Kati Bear
(beark@denison.edu) with any questions concerning funding.

The University of Kentucky Ovarian Screening Program is housed in the Whitney
Hendrickson Women's Cancer Facility, which is part of the University of Kentucky's
Lucille Parker Markey Cancer Center. The Ovarian Cancer Screening Program consists
of five ultrasound suites run continuously for gray scale transvaginal ultrasonography
using the newest GE instrumentation. Each of the suites is 180 square feet in size.
Black and white thermal printer sonograms are stored in each participants folder. A 300
square foot reception area adjoins the screening rooms. Data entry and scheduling are
performed in a 440 square foot office. A 400 square foot filing room houses records for
all program participants. An interview area of 120 square foot is used for private data
collection. Images are stored on a server for easy access.
 
The University of Kentucky's TVS screening program for ovarian cancer is the largest
and longest operating ovarian screening program in the United States. It has been in
continuous operation since 1987. It is conducting the only ovarian cancer screening trial
in the six states contiguous with Kentucky (Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, West
Virginia and Virginia) or within a 400-mile radius of the University of Kentucky in
Lexington. As a result this screening program is unique and not duplicated regionally
over an area of multiple states. During the years 1987-2023 55,000+ women have
received at least one TVS screening test with a total of over 350,000+ free screens
received by these 55,000+ women. About 100 new participants join the screening program each month. All testing is free of charge. In February 2003, The University of
Kentucky Ovarian Screening Program began an Outreach Effort that offers screening in
Maysville, Elizabethtown, Paducah, Stanford, Danville, Hazard, and Somerset. Potential
participants contact the program to schedule an initial TVS screening test. An 800
telephone number is available to allow free scheduling calls. Free parking is provided
adjacent to the screening area for all participants.
 
The internship is designed for rising junior (class of 2027) & rising senior (class of 2026)
undergraduate students who are seriously considering a career in medicine or
bioscience. The UK Ovarian Screening Program has 55000+ participants and has given
>350,000 free screens, averaging over 1100 screens monthly. The focus of the
screening program is to demonstrate that screening detects early-stage ovarian cancer
when the disease is curable. The interns will be involved in the interpretation of
sonography results, audits, participant follow-up, and data analysis. The interns will be
working adjacent to the Gynecologic Oncology Clinic and will have interactions with
screening personnel, and the medical staff at weekly patient care conferences. Weekly
attendance at tumor conferences, seminars and surgeries (open and robotic) are
included in the experience.