Michigan Urology Academy—Our Role in Diversifying the Urology Workforce

Abstract

To evaluate the value/utility of developing an online mentorship program for underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students interested in urology. The Michigan Urology Academy (MUA) was launched in 2020 to increase exposure and provide mentorship to URiM students interested in urology, in an effort to address the continued low numbers of Black and LatinX urologists in the workforce. The 2-day virtual mentorship program was launched in June 2020 and held annually thereafter. Demographic information was collected, and surveys were distributed at 1week and 3months after the events. Surveys assessed participants' perception of the utility and effectiveness of the sessions. Thematic analysis was performed on qualitative data. Fourth-year med students were followed longitudinally to determine urology match results. Over the last 3years, MUA hosted 208 students from 104 medical schools. Participants self-identified as 42.3% (n=88) identified as African American/Black, 14.9% (n=31) Hispanic/LatinX, 12.98% (n=27) white, 18.75% (n=39) as Asian/Indian 7.7% (n=16) as Middle Eastern/North African, and 0.48% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (n=1). Overall, fourth-year MUA participants matched at a higher rate than the national average (80.2% vs 71.4%; P=.0486). Narrative feedback revealed five themes: (1) the importance of community support within urology, (2) the utility of vulnerability and storytelling, (3) the importance of representation of diverse backgrounds, (4) the desire for in-person mentorship opportunities, and (5) the need for transparency in application logistics. Mentorship programs such as MUA allow URiM students to have greater exposure to the field of urology and to networking opportunities.