Medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path
Abstract Background Medical student demographics have shifted over time, requiring medical schools to engage prospective students from diverse backgrounds. Understanding career motivators may help schools improve recruitment, create inclusive teaching and learning environments, and engage students u...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Discover Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00346-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846147533284311040 |
|---|---|
| author | Megan Pasquantonio-Pierce Jessica St. Louis Emorcia Hill Amitai S. Miller Joan Y. Reede Jeffrey N. Katz |
| author_facet | Megan Pasquantonio-Pierce Jessica St. Louis Emorcia Hill Amitai S. Miller Joan Y. Reede Jeffrey N. Katz |
| author_sort | Megan Pasquantonio-Pierce |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Medical student demographics have shifted over time, requiring medical schools to engage prospective students from diverse backgrounds. Understanding career motivators may help schools improve recruitment, create inclusive teaching and learning environments, and engage students underrepresented in medicine (UiM). Methods We distributed a cross-sectional survey to two cohorts of first-year students (n = 337) attending a private U.S. medical school. The survey assessed experiences prior to and within the first two years of medical school, motivating factors related to career choice, and demographic characteristics. Results 257 students responded (76% response rate). The responders were 56% male, 40% female, and 4% non-binary or preferred not to report gender. 37% identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, 36% as White, and 21% as UiM. 16% were first-generation to attend college. 45% plan to enter surgical fields, 33% primary care fields, and 22% other fields/subspecialties. Most respondents endorsed the following as extremely or very important for their choice of a career in medicine: intellectual stimulation (96%), helping others (95%), advocating for underprivileged people (78%), and creating new knowledge (74%). UiM responders were statistically significantly more likely than their non-UiM classmates to indicate interest in advocacy for underprivileged populations (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4, 12.9). Conclusions Most students indicated that intellectual stimulation, helping others, and creating new knowledge were motivators for entering medical school. However, UiM students are more likely to also cite advocacy as a key motivator. Medical schools should provide curricular and para-curricular offerings that address advocacy and social determinants of health to engage a diverse student body. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c86d928b1e7d4a5e9121bf952605c6aa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-5525 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-c86d928b1e7d4a5e9121bf952605c6aa2024-12-01T12:40:54ZengSpringerDiscover Education2731-55252024-11-013111010.1007/s44217-024-00346-wMedical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career pathMegan Pasquantonio-Pierce0Jessica St. Louis1Emorcia Hill2Amitai S. Miller3Joan Y. Reede4Jeffrey N. Katz5Office for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical SchoolOffice for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical SchoolOffice for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical SchoolOffice for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical SchoolOffice for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical SchoolOffice for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical SchoolAbstract Background Medical student demographics have shifted over time, requiring medical schools to engage prospective students from diverse backgrounds. Understanding career motivators may help schools improve recruitment, create inclusive teaching and learning environments, and engage students underrepresented in medicine (UiM). Methods We distributed a cross-sectional survey to two cohorts of first-year students (n = 337) attending a private U.S. medical school. The survey assessed experiences prior to and within the first two years of medical school, motivating factors related to career choice, and demographic characteristics. Results 257 students responded (76% response rate). The responders were 56% male, 40% female, and 4% non-binary or preferred not to report gender. 37% identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, 36% as White, and 21% as UiM. 16% were first-generation to attend college. 45% plan to enter surgical fields, 33% primary care fields, and 22% other fields/subspecialties. Most respondents endorsed the following as extremely or very important for their choice of a career in medicine: intellectual stimulation (96%), helping others (95%), advocating for underprivileged people (78%), and creating new knowledge (74%). UiM responders were statistically significantly more likely than their non-UiM classmates to indicate interest in advocacy for underprivileged populations (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4, 12.9). Conclusions Most students indicated that intellectual stimulation, helping others, and creating new knowledge were motivators for entering medical school. However, UiM students are more likely to also cite advocacy as a key motivator. Medical schools should provide curricular and para-curricular offerings that address advocacy and social determinants of health to engage a diverse student body.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00346-wAdvocacyCareer motivatorsMedical educationMedical student diversity |
| spellingShingle | Megan Pasquantonio-Pierce Jessica St. Louis Emorcia Hill Amitai S. Miller Joan Y. Reede Jeffrey N. Katz Medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path Discover Education Advocacy Career motivators Medical education Medical student diversity |
| title | Medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path |
| title_full | Medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path |
| title_fullStr | Medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path |
| title_short | Medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path |
| title_sort | medical student diversity and the importance of advocacy in choice of career path |
| topic | Advocacy Career motivators Medical education Medical student diversity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00346-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT meganpasquantoniopierce medicalstudentdiversityandtheimportanceofadvocacyinchoiceofcareerpath AT jessicastlouis medicalstudentdiversityandtheimportanceofadvocacyinchoiceofcareerpath AT emorciahill medicalstudentdiversityandtheimportanceofadvocacyinchoiceofcareerpath AT amitaismiller medicalstudentdiversityandtheimportanceofadvocacyinchoiceofcareerpath AT joanyreede medicalstudentdiversityandtheimportanceofadvocacyinchoiceofcareerpath AT jeffreynkatz medicalstudentdiversityandtheimportanceofadvocacyinchoiceofcareerpath |