A Preliminary Pilot Study Of The College Exodus Health Professions Program In San Bernardino County, CA

Abstract

The College Exodus Health Professions (CEHP) program is a multidisciplinary health professions (HP) enrichment pipeline program for African American (AA) students in San Bernardino County, California. The main components of the program are the following: academic enrichment and hands-on exploration into the HP, such as nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, allied health, and public health. Participants include 48 predominantly AA students from 7th to 12th grades. Results of the pilot study show promising improvements in the awareness and knowledge of the HP after the participation in the program as well as increased academic motivation, social support, and academic and career goals. Policy implications and further developments are discussed.