Evaluation of the Pathways for Students into Health Professions: The Training of Under-Represented Minority Students to Pursue Maternal and Child Health Professions

Abstract

The Pathways for Students into Health Professions program is one of four nationally funded programs by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the US Department of Health and Human Services to support the training of undergraduate students, particularly from under-represented minority groups to pursue maternal and child health professions. To assess the program’s impact on student ratings, knowledge, and interest in maternal and child health professions. A baseline survey on student ratings and knowledge in maternal and child health topics and careers, public health topics, and career development topics was provided to 32 students at the beginning of their first year in the program and approximately 1 year after participation. Half of the students (16 students) in the program from 2009–2011 were from traditionally underrepresented minority groups. After participation, students reported significantly higher ratings of interest in maternal and child health topics and careers and in receiving adequate academic and career guidance. Students also reported significantly higher knowledge of public health, childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality, health care disparities, and life course health development. The program’s didactic, experiential, and mentorship activities are changing student ratings and knowledge in a favorable direction toward maternal and child health careers and topics. Undergraduate training programs may be an important mechanism to strengthen the pipeline of a diverse healthcare workforce.

Promoting careers, transfer success and information use and literacy: Evaluation of a health career pipeline program at an urban community college

“…Our findings are consistent with previous reports in the literature, which found that intensive mentoring [13,16,17,[19][20][21], exposure to health career paths and professionals [14,22,23], summer internship and research experiences [13,19], practicing presentation skills [11] and developing a plan to reach career goals [22] are elements associated with an increase in underrepresented students' confidence in their choice of academic major and career path. New contributions to the literature include a successful year-long program targeted specifically for high-achieving community college students interested in advanced health careers, intense mentoring to help students navigate the transition from community to senior college and a focus on developing students' professional and academic skills, with a particular emphasis on increasing students' information literacy skills.…”

“…Several programs have been conducted with underserved middle, high school and four-year college students in after school and summer program settings. These programs have had varying degrees of success in areas such as improving attitude and motivation toward selecting a health career, increasing science-based skills and health-related knowledge, and improving representation of minority groups in health-related academic programs and the health professions [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23].…”

Commentaries on health services research

“…Finally, the retention of racial and ethnic minorities once they are in the profession is another area in need of exploration which may help explain why they are still underrepresented -even if one successfully graduates and obtains a job as a physician or dentist, will they stay?  Undergraduates in a comprehensive program that incorporates academic support, mentoring, and social supports had higher acceptance rates to medical school than nonparticipants (Campbell, et al, 2014)*  Undergraduates in a comprehensive training program that incorporates coursework, advising, mentoring, and practicum experiences was correlated with increase interest and confidence in future career in Maternal and Child Health career (Guerrero, et al 2015)  Dental students in a comprehensive program that incorporates advising, tutoring, psychological counseling, extended curriculum and peer support had retention rates higher than the school average (Lacy, et al, 2011)  Undergraduate students who participated in a comprehensive program that incorporated summer institute, targeted recruitment, and internships reported the program influenced their decision to pursue a career as a cancer researcher (Pasick, et al, 2012)  Participation in a comprehensive post-baccalaureate program resulted in improved DAT scores, acceptance to dental schools, and graduation rates higher than the national average for dental schools (Wides, et al, 2013…”

Exceeding Expectations: Students Underrepresented in Medicine at University of Utah Health

“…[9][10][11] University-based, diversity-focused pipeline programs can support racial/ethnic diversity in the medical workforce. 12 The majority of these programs [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] are research-focused summer programs that target BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The University of Utah (UU) serves an increasingly diverse state and houses the only public medical school, dental school, and college of pharmacy in the state. Utah's diversity in the health professions lags behind the diversity of its general population, and the nation.…”