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Fostering the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders in a Pandemic World
Journal of Investigative Medicine ; 71(1):7, 2023.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-2318616
ABSTRACT
Purpose of Study Since the COVID pandemic began, there have been a dearth of opportunities for pre-medical students to work with practicing physicians. This is even truer in health care shortage areas such as California's impoverished San Joaquin Valley where the majority of its residents live below the poverty line and face a number of socioeconomic and educational hardships. Inequitable educational opportunities, lack of STEM identity, as well as lack of access to local mentors contribute to underrepresentation of individuals with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in STEM professions, including medicine. In partnership with the UCSF Fresno Department of Pediatrics we created a summer virtual Medical Education Apprentice Fellowship to help address some of these issues. Methods Used This seven-week summer program was directed towards disadvantaged high school and undergraduate students living in the San Joaquin Valley. Four pediatric subspecialists, 4 medical students, 64 undergraduate students, and 4 high school students participated in the program. Participants were divided into specialty teams based on their interests, with each team (burn surgery, endocrinology, gastroenterology, or pulmonology) led by a medical student and faculty. Overall, this program had three primary components (1) creating animated medical education videos for use in clinics, (2) hosting patient case study series, and (3) providing mentorship and professional development. Summary of

Results:

Forty-seven percent of students reported being the first in their family to pursue a STEM-related field. Prior to entering this program, only 50% of students felt strongly confident in their ability to be successful in a STEM-related field, and only 30% had a mentor that they fully trusted for guidance and resources. After completing the seven week program, 93% of students reported that they felt the program allowed them to explore medicine in innovative ways, 88% reported that they had made fruitful connections and now have a mentor and resources to guide them, and nearly 75% of students indicated a desire to address the social and health needs of the San Joaquin Valley as a healthcare professional. Conclusion(s) Our Medical Education Apprentice Fellowship provided disadvantaged students in the San Joaquin Valley with an opportunity to improve their digital literacy skills and medical knowledge while receiving mentorship from medical students and physicians. Grassroots programs such as this that form collaborative partnerships between students and health care professionals can be used to foster future healthcare leaders in order to address the health provider shortage in the San Joaquin Valley while providing underrepresented youth the chance to become healthcare champions.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Language: English Journal: Journal of Investigative Medicine Year: 2023 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Language: English Journal: Journal of Investigative Medicine Year: 2023 Document Type: Article