Background Medical school is a challenging time, with many medical students reporting symptoms of burnout, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress during pre-clinical and clinical years. First-generation college and first-generation medical students may be two groups of students at increased risk for the negative psychosocial effects of medical school. Importantly, grit, self-efficacy, and curiosity are protective factors against the negative psychosocial effects of medical school, whereas intolerance of uncertainty is a risk factor. Thus, research examining the associations among grit, self-efficacy, curiosity, and intolerance of uncertainty in first-generation college and first-generation medical students is needed. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study to assess medical students’ grit, self-efficacy, curiosity, and intolerance of uncertainty. We conducted independent samples t-tests and regression analyses using SPSS statistical software version 28.0. Results A total of 420 students participated in the study for a response rate of 51.5%. One-fifth of participants (21.2%, n = 89) identified as first-generation students, 38.6% (n = 162) participants reporting having a physician relative, and 16.2% (n = 68) reported having a physician parent. Grit, self-efficacy, and curiosity and exploration scores did not differ by first-generation college status, physician relative(s), or physician parent(s). However, total intolerance of uncertainty scores differed by physician relative(s) (t= -2.830, p = 0.005), but not by first-generation status, or physician parent(s). Further, subscale scores for prospective intolerance of uncertainty differed by physician relative(s) (t= -3.379, p = 0.001) and physician parent(s) (t= -2.077, p = 0.038), but not by first-generation college student status. In the hierarchical regression models, first-generation college student status and first-generation medical student status were not predictive of grit, self-efficacy, curiosity and exploration, or intolerance of uncertainty, although statistical trends were observed with students with physician relative(s) predicting lower intolerance of uncertainty scores (B= -2.171, t= -2138, p = 0.033) and lower prospective intolerance of uncertainty (B= -1.666, t= -2.689, p = 0.007). Conclusions These findings suggest that first-generation college students did not differ by grit, self-efficacy, curiosity, or intolerance of uncertainty. Similarly, first-generation medical students did not differ by grit, self-efficacy, or curiosity; however, first-generation medical students showed statistical trends in higher total intolerance of uncertainty and higher prospective intolerance of uncertainty. Additional research needs to confirm these findings in first-generation medical students.

Background First generation students report more symptoms of burnout, depression, and psychological distress in medical school. Grit, self-efficacy, and curiosity are protective factors against the negative psychosocial effects of medical school, whereas intolerance of uncertainty is a risk factor. What is not known is the association among grit, self-efficacy, curiosity, and intolerance of uncertainty and first-generation students. Thus, we examined grit, self-efficacy, curiosity, and intolerance of uncertainty in first-generation college and first-generation medical students. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study to assess medical students’ grit, self-efficacy, curiosity, and intolerance of uncertainty. We conducted independent samples t-tests and regression analyses using SPSS statistical software version 28.0. Results A total of 420 students participated in the study for a response rate of 51.5%. One-fifth of participants (21.2%, n = 89) identified as first-generation students, 38.6% (n = 162) participants reporting having a physician relative, and 16.2% (n = 68) reported having a physician parent. Grit scores did not differ by first-generation college status, physician relative(s), or physician parent(s). Similarly, self-efficacy scores did not differ by first-generation college status, physician relative(s), or physician parent(s), and curiosity scores did not differ by first-generation college status, physician relative(s), or physician parent(s). However, total intolerance of uncertainty scores differed by physician relative(s) (t= -2.830, p = .005), but not by first-generation status, or physician parent(s). Further, subscale scores for prospective anxiety differed by physician relative(s) (t= -3.379, p = .001) and physician parent(s) (t= -2.077, p = .038), but not by first-generation status. In the final regression model, both grit and self-efficacy were independently associated with intolerance of uncertainty, such that higher scores of grit (b = − .159, p = .003) and self-efficacy (b=-.316, p < .001) were associated with lower scores of intolerance of uncertainty. Having a physician in the family (b=-5.238, p = .003) was a protective factor against higher scores of intolerance of uncertainty. Conclusions These findings suggest that first-generation college students did not differ by grit, self-efficacy, curiosity, or intolerance of uncertainty. Similarly, first-generation medical students did not differ by grit, self-efficacy, or curiosity; however, first-generation medical students reported higher total intolerance of uncertainty and higher prospective anxiety. Additional research needs to confirm these findings in first-generation medical students.

Background: Cinematic-virtual reality (cine-VR) has demonstrated improvements in cultural self-efficacy, diabetes attitudes, and empathy among healthcare providers, but its impact on health professional students is unknown. The purpose of the single-arm pre-post study was to examine the feasibility of this cine-VR diabetes training program as well as to assess changes in cultural self-efficacy, diabetes attitudes, and empathy among health professional students. Method: Participants viewed 12 cine-VR 12 simulations about a 72-year-old patient with type 2 diabetes. Pre-training and post-training, they completed the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool, Diabetes Attitude Scale-3, and Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Results: All 92 participants completed the full training. No participants reported technological difficulties or adverse events. For the assessment, 66 participants completed the pre-post measures for a response rate of 71.7% (mean age = 21.1 ± 1.9 years, 82.6% [n = 57] women; 84.1% [n = 58] white). We observed positive improvements in all three cultural self-efficacy subscales: “Cognitive” ( t value = −4.705, P < .001), “Practical” (mean change = −.99, t value = −4.240, P < .001), and “Affective” ( t value = −2.763, P = .008). Similarly, we observed positive improvements in four of the five diabetes attitude subscales: “Need for special training” ( Z = −4.281, P < .001), “Seriousness of type 2 diabetes” ( Z = −3.951, P < .001), “Value of tight glucose control” ( Z = −1.676, P = .094), “Psychosocial impact of diabetes” ( Z = −5.892, P < .001), and “Attitude toward patient autonomy” ( Z = −2.889, P = .005). Finally, we observed a positive improvement in empathy ( t value = −5.151, P < .001). Conclusions: Findings suggest that the cine-VR diabetes training program has the potential to improve cultural self-efficacy, diabetes attitudes, and empathy among health professional students. A randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm its effectiveness.