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Context: The Aspiring DOctors PreCollege Program at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Cleveland Campus is unique among other precollege pipeline and mini-medical school programs in that it engages learners from urban underserved communities for an entire academic year as a cocurricular adjunct to their high school course load. One day per month, students are brought to the medical college campus and introduced to the field of osteopathic medicine. Students also participate in activities related to preparing for college admissions, diversity in higher education, mental health and wellness, and financial stewardship. All these activities are done with the goal of increasing the number of underrepresented minority (URM) students in the health care professions. Objective: Self-efficacy has been identified as a measure of internal motivation and belief in one’s ability to succeed in the face of challenges. The purpose of this study is to determine what effect, if any, participation in this program has on URM student self-efficacy. Methods: Students were asked to complete a validated self-efficacy questionnaire at the start and end of this program to determine their levels of self-efficacy and if there were changes after participating in this program. Results: Ten of the 12 seniors completed pre- and post-self-efficacy surveys. Two main discoveries were made through this pilot. First, when tested at the beginning of the program, all students had high levels of self-efficacy (mean score, 4.45 of 5). Second, 2 items were specifically increased by a statistically significant amount. The students increased in self-efficacy concerning the responses “I can learn what is being taught in class this year” ( P = .024) and “My ability grows with effort” ( P = .015). Conclusions: With the competitive standards of acceptance into the Aspiring DOctors PreCollege Program, students enrolled in this program had high levels of self-efficacy from the onset. While there was modest increase across the board, many of these indicators remained consistently high after the program. Using self-efficacy as a screening tool for premedical students may be helpful in identifying candidates likely to succeed in a future medical career.

Historically, the physician workforce has been a profession disproportionately constituted of White and male doctors. 1 In Europe and North America, efforts have been made to increase the number of under-represented minority (URM) medical students and practicing physicians. 2,3 As defined by the Association of American Medical Colleges, "Underrepresented in medicine means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population." 4 While the number of women entering medical training has continued to rise to levels nearing representation within the general population, 5 disparities persist amongst the ethnic and racial backgrounds of medical college applicants. 1 In Canada, for example, First Nations/Inuit groups make up approximately 4% of the population, but account for less than 0.25% of physicians. 6 In the United States, African-Americans represent approximately 13% of the population, but only account for 5% of physicians. 1 Across the globe, programs designed to increase the numbers of applicants from minority racial groups have made progress in promoting the physician diversity, however,

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