Promoting careers in health care for urban youth: What students, parents and educators can teach us

Abstract

There are many obstacles that urban youth experience in pursuing health careers, but the benefits of diversifying the classroom and workforce are clear. This is especially true today as educators and policymakers seek to enhance underrepresented minority students’ access to health careers, and also achieve the health workforce needed to support the Affordable Care Act. The creation of student pipeline programs began more than 40 years ago, but success has been equivocal. In 2008, Mentoring in Medicine (MIM) conducted a research project to identify how students learn about health careers; develop strategies for an integrated, experiential learning program that encourages underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in health; and translate these into best practices for supporting students through their entire preparatory journey. Six focus groups were conducted with educators, students, and their parents. The inclusion of parents was unusual in studies of this kind. The outcome yielded important and surprising differences between student and parent knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. They informed our understanding of the factors that motivate and deter underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in health care. Specific programmatic strategies emerged that found their place in the subsequent development of new MIM programming that falls into the following three categories: community-based, school-based and Internet based. Best practices derived from these MIM programs are summarized and offered for consideration by other health career education program developers targeting underrepresented minority students, particularly those located in urban settings.

Effects of summer internship and follow-up distance mentoring programs on middle and high school student perceptions and interest in health careers

“…Short summer internship experiences had positive outcomes and follow up distance mentoring added value. The latter supports other programs using videoconferencing to provide career education virtually [8, 10]. Moreover, essay results largely support many of the explicit and implied aims of minority health science career programs; that they broaden student conceptions of what constitutes health careers, that students identify such careers are attainable despite their demands and educational requirements, and that such careers can be intrinsically rewarding.…”

“…The program included a 2 week summer virtual science camp employing videoconferencing for real time demonstrations and interactions with health providers and webinars on test preparation, college admissions, and financial aid that supplemented in-person community, after school, and in school programs. Qualitative program evaluations indicated exposing students to a range of health professionals, involving parents and teachers, and offering long term interactive and ‘hands on’ learning experiences are effective strategies [8]. Finally, the National Library of Medicine has sponsored a program exposing minority high school students to a range of health professionals via a series of year long videoconferences.…”

After-School Program for urban youth: Evaluation of a health careers course in New York City high schools

“…While The Course does not represent the majority of after school programs around the country, it does draw upon many of the best practices reported by other investigators working in other after school educational settings [19] [25] [30]. Additionally, MIM has conducted ongoing studies of MIM’s target population of disadvantaged urban youth along with their parents and teachers in order to continually improve the curriculum and impact of the Course on the students [5] [22]. …”

“…MIM is based in New York City and also has local activities in the metropolitan Washington, DC area. The focus is on urban youth [22]. …”

AACP Special Taskforce White Paper on Diversifying Our Investment in Human Capital

“…37 Additionally, the cost of four year programs results in some students choosing two year community colleges which may not provide all the prerequisite coursework that is required for professional education resulting in extending the time and cost to complete the program. 38 Underrepresented students are more likely to be unfamiliar with accessing financial aid or pursuing scholarships. 37 There is a declining trend in need-based aid towards merit-based aid.…”