Abstract
Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the ability of medical students to travel and interact directly with combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) residency programs, medical students desiring appropriate guidance and information about Med-Peds residency training needed a national forum for information during an unprecedented virtual recruitment year.Objective: To develop a nationally coordinated webinar series for medical students and student advisors to learn about the Med-Peds specialty for residency training to keep applicant numbers and applicant interest from significantly falling.Methods: A national webinar series focusing on general Med-Peds information, career interests, and tailored advising was created amongst the three national Med-Peds organizations over a three-month period in Spring 2020.Results: There was a 221% increase in medical student membership to the National Med-Peds Residents' Association (NMPRA) compared to the same months in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and no significant reduction in the Electronic Residency Application Service® applications to Med-Peds programs over that same time period.Conclusions: A national forum for medical students inquiring about the combined Med-Peds specialty can be effective in recruiting members to NMPRA and keeping interest high in Med-Peds.
Highlights
Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) residency attracts students interested in the care of people and families across the age continuum, generally in primary care, hospital care, specialty care, or a combination of multiple areas [1]
A national forum for medical students inquiring about the combined Med-Peds specialty can be effective in recruiting members to National Med-Peds Residents’ Association (NMPRA) and keeping interest high in Med-Peds
There was a significant increase in medical student registration for NMPRA membership in 2020 over the specified time, as well as the full calendar year versus that in the three prior years
Summary
Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) residency attracts students interested in the care of people and families across the age continuum, generally in primary care, hospital care, specialty care, or a combination of multiple areas [1]. One-third to one-half of Med-Peds applicants come from schools without affiliated Med-Peds residency programs. For this reason, an estimated 200 students per year use fourth-year electives to confirm their choice of applying to Med-Peds, as these rotations provide invaluable insight into a Med-Peds program structure and give students access to the Med-Peds mentorship and advising often not available at their home institutions. As the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the ability of medical students to travel and interact directly with combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) residency programs, medical students desiring appropriate guidance and information about Med-Peds residency training needed a national forum for information during an unprecedented virtual recruitment year
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