RESUMO
CONTEXT: Mini-medical school programs are designed to give participants, usually high school students, a more realistic perception of medicine and to leave students with a stronger desire to pursue a career in medicine. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the annual High School Mini-Medical School program hosted by the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine increased interest in osteopathic medicine among high school students. DESIGN: A survey was conducted before and after the program to test the program's effectiveness. SETTING: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine's Clinical Education Center. PARTICIPANTS: High school students from Charleston, Fairmont, and the Greenbrier Valley in West Virginia. INTERVENTIONS: The participants attended an outreach program designed to interest them in a career in medicine and specifically osteopathic medicine. RESULTS: Sixty-nine participants came away with an improved understanding of a physician's life and medical school after the program. There was a mean increase in positive responses for the survey items "I understand what medical school life is truly like" (P=.0066) and "I understand what life as a doctor is really like" (P=.0004). PARTICIPANTS left the program with a stronger desire to pursue a career in medicine (P<.0001). CONCLUSION: Mini-medical school programs are an effective tool to inspire high school students to pursue careers in medicine, including osteopathic medicine.
