Summer Enrichment Program: A Novel Pre‐Matriculation Anatomy Curriculum for Medical Students

Abstract

Study ObjectivesMedical schools increasingly accept students from Alternative Academic Pathways (“Alt Path”), such as through early assurance programs or after gaps of time in education. These students may have difficulty with the rigors of medical school and need further preparation to succeed. Exposure to first‐year content, including anatomy coursework, prior to starting medical school has been shown to improve students’ academic performance. Through a novel pre‐matriculation Summer Enrichment Program (“SEP”), we sought to prepare Alt Path medical students for their transition to medical school and first‐year courses. Over the years, varying curricula have been implemented.Our objectives include: (1) evaluating the impact of including anatomy in the SEP on the performance of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (“ISMMS”) medical students in their first‐year anatomy course, (2) comparing anatomy performance between the SEP participants and traditional path peers, and (3) understanding Alt Path students’ perceptions of preparedness and confidence in starting medical school.MethodsStudents completed a 5‐week intensive SEP the summer before starting medical school with a curriculum utilizing didactics, laboratories, review sessions, and assessments. Anatomy has been included in the SEP for the Classes of 2019 and 2021–2023 cohorts. Anatomy was not included for the Class of 2020 cohort. This provides a natural experiment for comparison of first‐year anatomy course performance between two subsequent cohorts of Alt Path students (Classes of 2019 and 2020). SEP anatomy was taught by the same faculty teaching the first‐year anatomy course. Future data analysis will include comparisons of coursework performance between Alt Path and traditional students among the Classes of 2019–2023 cohorts. For the Class of 2023 cohort, the perceived impact of the SEP on academic performance and adjustment to medical school will be evaluated using surveys and focus groups to holistically triangulate students’ experiences with the SEP.ResultsIn the Class of 2020 cohort (SEP did not include anatomy), 5 of the 8 students who marginally passed/failed the first‐year anatomy course participated in the SEP. In the Class of 2019 cohort (SEP included anatomy), only 1 of the 8 students who marginally passed/failed the anatomy course participated in the SEP. This suggests that anatomy education immediately prior to medical school in the SEP may positively impact students’ course performance. Qualitatively, Alt Path students positively reviewed the SEP and expressed sentiments of preparedness and confidence with first‐year coursework.Despite the small sample size, all SEP iterations since have included anatomy as a primary component of the curriculum. Future analysis of five Class cohorts (Classes of 2019–2023; n=700) may reveal additional insights.ConclusionMedical educators should consider pre‐matriculation programs in order to enhance medical school preparedness and performance of Alt Path students. Providing these students with educational opportunities focused on foundations prior to first‐year coursework may academically and professionally benefit such students.Support or Funding InformationThe authors received no funding for this work.