The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to announce that Division of Surgical Oncology Associate Professor Annabelle L. Fonseca, M.D., MHS, will be serving as program co-director for the Pre-College Research Internship for Students from Minority Backgrounds (PRISM) program.

Through her new role, Fonseca will work with Division of Breast & Endocrine Assistant Professor and PRISM Co-Director Andrea Gillis, M.D., to create meaningful STEM experiences for high school juniors and seniors interested in a future in medicine or research.

Selected students in the PRISM program spend eight weeks working on a mentored research project through the Department of Surgery and have the opportunity to participate in clinical shadowing.

Fonseca joined the Department of Surgery in 2023 and, through her dual research and faculty appointments, focuses her work on hepatopancreatobiliary and foregut malignancies, while working to improve the quality and delivery of high-quality complex oncologic care for foregut cancers across the cancer care continuum.

About the Pre-College Research Internship for Students from Minority Backgrounds (PRISM) Program

The UAB Department of Surgery's Pre-College Research Internship for Students from Minority Backgrounds (PRISM) provides promising high school students who are interested in careers in healthcare and medicine with hands-on research experiences under the mentorship of surgeons and their peers.

The internship provides students with the experience and knowledge that allows them to explore medical careers, particularly in the field of surgery, helps them understand the impact that research has in improving patient care and patient outcomes, and provides them with an experience that makes them more competitive for admission to college.

Applications are currently open and are being accepted until Friday, February 16.