Creating a Comprehensive Approach to Exposing Underrepresented Pre-health Professions Students to Clinical Medicine and Health Research

Kerry-Ann Stewart; Stacey L Brown; Granville Wrensford; Marja M Hurley

doi:10.1016/j.jnma.2019.12.003

Creating a Comprehensive Approach to Exposing Underrepresented Pre-health Professions Students to Clinical Medicine and Health Research

J Natl Med Assoc. 2020 Feb;112(1):36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jnma.2019.12.003. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Authors

Kerry-Ann Stewart¹, Stacey L Brown², Granville Wrensford³, Marja M Hurley³

Affiliations

¹ Health Career Opportunity Programs, UConn Health, UConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine Farmington, CT, USA. Electronic address: kestewart@uchc.edu.
² Public Health Sciences, UConn Health, UConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine Farmington, CT, USA.
³ Health Career Opportunity Programs, UConn Health, UConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine Farmington, CT, USA.

PMID: 31980210
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnma.2019.12.003

Abstract

Background/purpose: With the urgency to create more equitable health care, increased research and early exposure to health interventions and clinical medicine are imperative. Health disparities continue to persist nationwide, particularly in underserved areas and among traditionally disadvantaged populations. In addition to the need to eliminate health disparities, increasing the diversity among health professionals to more accurately reflect the US population is essential.

Methods: The health professions partnership at the School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine is a comprehensive pipeline designed to increase the preparation of underrepresented students for health careers. Through this health professions pipeline's Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program (HDCSRFP), undergraduate students are exposed to health disparities research and clinical skills over seven weeks. Over the course of the program, participants conducted a research project, gained clinical exposure by shadowing community physicians and other health professionals, and received mentoring by health professional faculty and students. At the conclusion of the program, participants presented their research projects during a poster symposium.

Results: A total of 121 program participants between 2008 and 2018 each conducted a research project focused on reducing health inequities within specific populations, particularly in urban settings. The health professions pipeline has been instrumental in increasing the aptitude and competitiveness of these students pursuing health careers through participation in research, clinical medicine, and enrichment activities. Specifically, 92% of the 79 program participants identified who completed undergraduate studies before the end of the 2018 fall semester pursued a career or further studies within a health profession. Forty-six percent of these college graduates were accepted or matriculated in medical school by the end of 2018.

Conclusion: The HDCSRFP, like the other health professions partnership pipeline programs, serves as a model for other educational programs to expose students to the field of medicine and health research, and to increase diversity within health professions.

Keywords: Health disparities; Medical school; Public health research; Undergraduate programs.

MeSH terms

Career Choice*
Clinical Medicine / education*
Education, Medical, Undergraduate / methods*
Health Occupations*
Health Services Research / methods
Humans
Minority Groups* / education
Minority Groups* / statistics & numerical data
Program Evaluation
Schools, Medical / organization & administration
Students, Public Health / statistics & numerical data