Submission ID 78271
| Code | OE-2-6 |
|---|---|
| At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: | |
| Category | Medical Education |
| Type | Oral |
| Will the presenter be a: | Student |
| Title | A Strategy to Diversify the Medical Profession: Mini Medical Schools |
| Background/Purpose | Recruitment of medical students from diverse backgrounds provides a crucial step toward social accountability in medicine. Mini Medical Schools (MMS) that inform youth from underrepresented backgrounds about careers in medicine aim to contribute to this goal. We examined the proportion and demographics of current medical students who participated in MMS prior to medical school. |
| Methods | Student researchers with Asclepius Medical Camp for Youth, a summer camp MMS, surveyed current University of Alberta medical students using Facebook groups and email. Questionnaire items captured self-reported data about belonging to a demographic underrepresented in our medical school (Black, Indigenous, Filipino ethnicity; low socioeconomic status [SES]), attending MMS prior to admission, and if so, perceptions of the impact of participation in MMS. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and data visualization. |
| Results | Of the 113 respondents who completed the survey (response rate = 18%), 7.9% attended MMS before medical school. Of these, none identified as an under-represented ethnicity, while 44.4% identified as low SES. Respondents perceived MMS as effective at increasing their interest (mean = 4.14/5 to 4.43/5) in medical school and inspiring them (mean = 4.14/5), but less so in informing them (mean = 3/5). |
| Discussion | Our findings suggest that MMS can inspire participants through fostering connections and making medicine seem like an attainable career. Future research will seek to increase the response rate to the student survey to better understand the impact of MMS. |
| Keyword 1 | diversity |
| Keyword 2 | undergraduate medical education |
| Keyword 3 | admissions |
| Abstract content most relevant to: (check all that apply) | Undergraduate Medical Education |
| Abstract Track - First Choice | Equity, Diversity and Inclusion |
| Authors | Sicheng Lee Kimberly Papp Amanda Krysler Shelley Ross |
