BU Medical Students Receive Prestigious ASCO Award

BU Medical Students Receive Prestigious ASCO Award

Second-year Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine students Teresia Perkins and Mathew Krick, have been chosen to participant in the 2025 Conquer Cancer Medical Student Rotation (MSR) from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). MSR provides financial support for U.S. medical students who are interested in oncology as a career to experience a minimum four-week clinical or clinical research rotation.

Perkins’ project, “Investigating the Association Between Limited English Proficiency and Mental Health Outcomes in Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy,” focuses on how English language proficiency impacts rates of depression and anxiety in non-English-speaking prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The study addresses not only structural inequities, but also cultural factors—such as masculine norms that discourage emotional expression—that may intensify mental health challenges in this group.

Perkins was raised in a low-income, rural community in Kenya, where healthcare and education were scarce. Overcoming significant adversity—including the loss of her brother due to inadequate care—she earned a full scholarship to study in the U.S. Passionate about addressing health disparities, she dedicates her research and advocacy to advancing equity in cancer treatment. 

Krick’s project, “Treatment Delays and Ultrasonography Findings in Uveal Melanoma,” will examine how treatment delays impact uveal melanoma (ocular melanoma) tumor growth over time. It will take place at the University of California, Los Angeles’ department of ocular oncology. “Obstacles to prompt care and treatment delays are often impacted by social determinants of health and structural factors. My project will not only provide insight into the rate of uveal melanoma growth in a cohort of patients but will also shed light on how structural factors, such as insurance barriers, affect how quickly patients can be admitted for surgery and radiation therapy,” Krick explains. 

Krick was born in San José, Costa Rica, and grew up in Costa Rica, Mexico and the U.S. His interest in medicine and oncology stems from the care his mother received from oncologists while undergoing cancer treatments.  He attended Yale University on a financial aid scholarship and also obtained an MPH with a focus on chronic disease epidemiology from the Yale School of Public Health. He worked as a bilingual research associate for the International Low-Grade Glioma Registry prior to starting medical school. Krick is interested in oncology/radiation oncology, ophthalmology and neurology as well as public health, epidemiology/biostatistics and health equity. 

Following the rotation, Perkins and Krick will attend the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois where they will hear the latest advances in cancer research, participate in a meet-and-greet with ASCO members, and continue to learn about the field of oncology. The Medical Student Rotation award includes a $5,000 stipend for the rotation plus $1,500 for travel to the ASCO Annual Meeting. 

Founded in 1964, ASCO is the world’s leading professional organization for physicians and oncology professionals caring for people with cancer.