Abstract 13914: Development of a High School Mentorship and Scholarship Program to Promote Interest in Healthcare Among Students Underrepresented in Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the rising demand, positive career outlooks, and promising salary in healthcare professions, youth from underrepresented backgrounds continue to be poorly represented in these careers. Mentorship has emerged as a strategy to enhance the involvement of underrepresented youth in healthcare careers, serving as one of the few effective approaches to address this disparity. Aims: The aim of this study was to develop practical recommendations for founding, growing, and sustaining a mentorship and scholarship program between a physician group and a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse local high school. Methods: Each year, six events were hosted for high school students interested in healthcare. Events included hands-on activities, networking events, career panel discussions, and field trips to our simulation center. Following 2 years of successful program execution, a modified mini-Delphi approach was used to develop formal recommendations for founding, growing, and sustaining such a program. Results: On an observational basis, the mentorship program appeared effective at growing high school student interest in healthcare careers. Utilizing a modified mini-Delphi method, we created recommendations for the development of a healthcare mentorship and scholarship program. These recommendations are shown in Figure 1. Conclusions: These recommendations may serve as a guide for other programs that wish to establish similar programs. All our self-developed curricula, grant proposals, and marketing materials will be freely shared with any group wishing to develop a similar program.