Grant McCutchan, a 2022 graduate of Canadian Valley Technology Center’s Biomedical Sciences program, has completed the Fleming Scholar program through the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
Each year since 1956, the program has provided high school and college students with a hands-on biomedical research experience. OMRF is a private, nonprofit, independent research institution in Oklahoma City that was developed by the alumni association of the University of Oklahoma Medical School.
McCutchan, 19, of Piedmont, completed an internship in OMRF’s cardiovascular biology laboratory under the direction of Dr. Jasim Ahamed. Fleming Scholars are paid $5,000 and provided housing to work eight weeks in biomedical research labs under the supervision of OMRF’s scientific staff.
The program is named after Sir Alexander Fleming, the British scientist who discovered penicillin. Fleming provided the keynote address at OMRF’s first building dedication in 1949.
McCutchan is majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering at OU and is on track to complete his undergraduate work in 2026. He is considering enrolling in an accelerated Master of Business Administration program. His potential career in the medical field was ignited through his experience at Canadian Valley.
“My entire experience at CV Tech is remembered fondly,” he said. “My classmates and I still communicate semi-regularly. The staff, but specifically my instructors, were absolutely phenomenal – the best teachers I’ve had to date.”
Biomedical Sciences is a three-year, college-prep program offered only at CV Tech’s Cowan-Yukon Campus. Students are immersed in anatomy, cell biology, genetics and disease research to gain a head start on advanced medical studies. Coursework includes Advanced Placement (AP) Pre-Calculus, AP Biology and options of AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB, AP Chemistry, AP Anatomy or AP Physiology.
