Applying to be Doctors of Tomorrow: A Qualitative Study Exploring Motivations Towards Applying to a Medical Pipeline Program

Abstract

To identify the motivations of adolescent students applying into medical pipeline programs that are focused on populations underrepresented in medicine. The Doctors of Tomorrow (DoT) program is a medical pipeline program between the University of Michigan Medical School and Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, USA. As a component of the application process, ninth-grade students complete multiple free response essays that allow students to articulate their reasons for applying and their goals for participation in the program. Between 2013 and 2019, 323 ninth-grade students applied to DoT and 216 were accepted. The authors qualitatively analyzed all applications using theoretical coding methods to identify common themes discussed by students regarding their motivations for applying. The authors used Dedoose 8.3.17 (Los Angeles, CA) for qualitative analysis. Four main themes emerged after coding and thematic analysis: (1) Career Aspiration, (2) Exposure to the Medical Field, (3) Breadth of Mentorship, and (4) Longitudinal Professional Development. 'Health Disparities in Minority Communities,' a code used when students commented on issues of race, social determinants of health, and health disparities as motivators, was not identified as frequently as the other codes, despite it being a main topic within the pipeline program. Applicants to medical school pipeline programs articulate similar intrinsic motivations that can be used to inform what drives students to apply. Pipeline programs should consider these intrinsic motivations, while also creating structured activities from which students can learn and gain tangible benefits when designing curricula. While ninth-grade students acknowledge health disparities in minority communities, their current level of personal experience may not lead them to identify these disparities as significant motivators, and pipeline leaders should be aware of this when designing lesson plans concerning these topics.