Roche Pharma India Announces Recipients of Leading Engagements to Advance Patient Care in Oncology (LEAP) Scholarship Program
New Delhi : Roche Pharma India is proud to announce the recipients of Leading Engagements to Advance Patient Care in Oncology (LEAP) Award, a unique problem-solving and learning engagement program designed for final year DM/DNB Oncology students in India. This innovative program aims to inspire and foster innovation among oncology students poised to enter the clinical environment by offering a dynamic platform for learning and career advancement. LEAP provides an unparalleled opportunity for students to network, collaborate, and pioneer solutions to everyday challenges in oncology.
The LEAP program is dedicated to promoting strategic thinking and unlocking innovative solutions across the cancer care continuum. By engaging the brightest minds in the country, Roche Pharma India aims to drive better outcomes for patients and the broader cancer care ecosystem. The program attracted enthusiastic participation from DM/DNB Oncology students enrolled in 50+ prestigious medical colleges and hospitals across the nation.
Entries were meticulously evaluated by an esteemed jury panel featuring leading industry experts: Dr. Amit Rauthan, Head of Department & Consultant Medical Oncology at Manipal Hospitals, Dr. Surinder Kher, a renowned industry expert, and Mr. Gaur Sunder, Scientist at CDAC Pune. The evaluation criteria included innovation, feasibility, impact on patient outcomes, and strategic thinking.
The inaugural chapter of LEAP 2023-24 culminated in recognition of the best five solutions to day-to–day challenges in clinical care, patient care, policymaking, and implementation strategies in oncology. Dr Siddhesh Tryambake of Hyderabad’s Omega Hospital, Dr Madhavi Indani from Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr Uddiptya Goswami from Chennai’s Apollo Cancer Centre, Dr Vasanth Rooban Narasimman from Government Royepettah Hospital and Dr Vinodh Kumar Selvaraj from Madras Medical College received the recognition for taking the Leap towards academic excellence in oncology. Each of these best five contributors received a scholarship amount along with a certificate and a medal.
“We are immensely proud of the incredible solutions proposed by these bright young minds. The LEAP program underscores our commitment to doing what patients need next, nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals, and ensuring they are well-prepared to tackle the challenges of tomorrow,” said Roche Pharma CEO & MD V Simpson Emmanuel.
Dr Amit Rauthan, Medical Oncologist, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru said, “Judging this challenge was a unique and rewarding experience. The innovative solutions proposed by the students have the potential to be implemented in clinical practice, proving beneficial in the long run. “
Elaborating on the process of evaluation, Dr Surender Kher, Executive Head – Clinical Research, Aster Hospitals, Bengaluru said: “Evaluating all entries was a significant task for our jury. We focused on clinical practice applicability, the practicality of the solutions, the innovative use of technology, and the thoughtful approaches proposed by the applicants. Our aim was to assess how these innovative solutions could be effectively implemented in real-world practice.”
Dr Gaur Sunder, Chief-NRCeS(MoHFW), Scientist-Health Informatics, Head – Education and Training (C-DAC ACTS and PACE), Pune : “We believe these ideas have the potential to be realized in the future. I hope the participants will continue developing their ideas, transforming them into larger, implementable solutions that will benefit patients across the country.”
“LEAP is a very unique program that involves case problem-solving. It would be great to have such programs extended to even first and second-year grads if feasible. Providing scholarships to these students would give them sufficient time to engage in research and fully benefit from this innovative initiative,” said Dr Suresh Babu, Professor & Head of Unit, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru.
“I would like to thank the entire Roche team for this initiative and acknowledge the efforts from students across the country who have enthusiastically participated. The beauty of this program lies in its out-of-the-box thinking. Initially, I thought it was just another academic drill, but when I saw the challenge buckets that participants were asked to solve, I realized the program is very innovative and comprehensive. This is an effort towards preparing budding oncologists to think in a 360-degree dimensional way when they are facing patients in the field of oncology. This is great,” said Dr T Raja, Director of Medical Oncology at Apollo Cancer Centre Chennai.
For more information on LEAP, please visit: https://www.rocheindia.com/about/leap