Redefining the term "Disadvantaged student": A post baccalaureate program's role in underrepresented students' success and reclaiming of narratives.

PURPOSE: Racial/ethnic minority groups and low-income students continue to be underrepresented in medicine (URiM) despite years of diversity and inclusion efforts. Post baccalaureate programs (PBP) are shown to prepare underrepresented students to successfully matriculate to medical school. However, identification of the aspects of a PBP that are key to future success in medicine from the student perspective is lacking. Therefore, this study was designed to answer the question, "What aspects of a post baccalaureate program do URiM students see as valuable to their future success?" METHODS: This is a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with alumni of the UCSF PBP who completed the program between 2015-2020. Interviews were conducted via phone or video call, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Names and years of attendance were removed from the transcripts prior to review to protect confidentiality. Transcripts were coded following an inductive qualitative approach using methodology rooted in grounded theory. Demographic data was collected upon enrollment in the program. RESULTS: Forty study participants were interviewed (58% of eligible subjects). Participants self-identified as Latinx (70%), African American (8%), Southeast Asian (10%), Native American (2%), Multiethnic (10%), and 60% female. The average age at enrollment was 24 years. Most participants (75%) were first-generation college students and 85% grew up with a family income <$49,999. Qualitative findings were categorized into five main themes: (1) Academic, Professional, and Personal Skills Development, (2) Supportive Student Cohort, (3) Resources, Personalized Advising, and Mentorship, (4) Gaining Confidence and a Sense of Belonging in Medicine, and (5) Redefining "Disadvantaged" Status. A novel finding was the importance of redefining the narrative of belonging to a "disadvantaged" community. During the program, the study participants reported gaining confidence and a sense of belonging in medicine as they recognized the unique qualifications and advantages they bring to medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in addition to academic preparation, PBPs for students who are underrepresented in medicine should empower students to recognize their strengths and qualifications in the field of medicine. Our study participants rejected the term "disadvantaged" as they celebrated the value of their backgrounds and what they bring to medicine.

Brain Camp: A Summer Pipeline Program to Increase Diversity in Neurosciences.

BACKGROUND: Despite calls to increase diversity in the health care workforce, most medical fields including neurology have seen minimal advances, owing in part to the lack of developing a robust pipeline for trainees from underrepresented backgrounds. We sought to create an immersive, replicable neurology-themed summer camp and longitudinal mentorship program for underrepresented-in-medicine (URM) high-school students to encourage them to enter the training pipeline in neuroscience-related fields. METHODS: We established an annual, no-cost 1-week camp for local URM students with the goals of exposing them to different health care professions within neuroscience while providing them with college application resources and long-term mentorship. A postprogram survey was distributed to assess the students' attitudes towards the camp and their desires to pursue health care careers. RESULTS: Over the 4 years since the founding of the camp (2016-2020), a total of 96 students participated, of whom 53% were URM, 74% came from very low-income households, and 61% had parents who did not attend college. In total, 87 students (91%) completed the postcamp survey. Nearly all (97%) of the respondents were likely to recommend the camp to their peers, and the vast majority (85%) felt that Brain Camp made them more likely to pursue careers in health care. CONCLUSIONS: Brain Camp seeks to address the unmet need for low barrier-to-entry programs designed for URM high-school students interested in health care careers. We envision that our camp may serve as a blueprint for other similar programs across the nation with the goal of addressing the URM pipeline in neuroscience.