Postbaccalaureate Programs Research Articles

PROPEL: a scalable model for postbaccalaureate training to promote diversity in the biomedical workforce.

Promoting diversity in the scientific workforce is crucial for harnessing the potential of available talent and ensuring equitable access to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEM-M) careers. We have developed an innovative program called Postbaccalaureate Research Opportunity to Promote Equity in Learning (PROPEL) that provides scientific and career development training for postbaccalaureate scholars from historically excluded backgrounds in STEM-M fields with an interest in pursuing a PhD or MD/PhD degree. Our program is distinct from other postbaccalaureate programs in that scholars are hired by individual labs rather than funded centrally by the program. This funding mechanism removes the idea that central funding is necessary to encourage faculty to train diverse scholars and allows the program to scale dynamically according to the needs of the scientific community. The PROPEL program started in 2020 with six scholars and has since grown to an enrollment of over 100, making it the largest postbaccalaureate program for biomedical research in the country. Here, we describe the program structure and curriculum, our strategy for recruitment, the enrollment trends, the program demographics, metrics of scholar engagement, and outcomes for scholars who completed the program in 2023. Our experience demonstrates the strong demand from both scholars and faculty for programming of this type and describes the feasibility of implementation.

A Report on the Keynote Address and Symposium on Research in Health Disparities in the USA

Ensuring a diverse cancer research workforce remains challenging despite national recommendations and pathway programs dedicated to this mission. A panel composed of researchers, educators, and implementation scientists convened at the Binaytara Foundation’s 2023 Summit on Cancer Health Disparities to discuss funded pathway opportunities, share case examples, and outline best practices to achieve a diverse workforce and support research in cancer health equity. The panelists highlighted existing pathway opportunities through the National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Health Disparities and illustrated specific funded examples, such as the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute’s PathMaker program, the University of Utah’s postbaccalaureate program, and NIH diversity supplement mechanisms. Programmatic examples were illustrated with success stories from the panel. The panelists concluded with the following insights for successful pathway implementation: 1) Since a diverse research workforce benefits society, investing in training and funding mechanisms is critical to promote individual and societal success in making progress towards cancer health equity; 2) A holistic, inclusive, and pathway-focused approach can successfully support, retain, and promote students, trainees, and faculty underrepresented in medicine and science; and 3) An inclusive workforce is best prepared to meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve.

Undue Burden the Medical School Application Process Places on Low-Income Latinos

Undue Burden the Medical School Application Process Places on Low-Income Latinos

Preceptor Training: Evaluation of an On-line Educational Module to Improve Preceptor Feedback

Purpose: Effective feedback delivery is critical to behavior modification and skill improvement in novice learners and athletic training programs often use annual training to teach preceptors to develop feedback skills. The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an on-line asynchronous educational module for improving feedback delivery. Method: We used a single cohort, repeated measures design (pre, post, post-post) and an eAuthoring tool (Softchalk©) and online assessments (Qualtrics® Provo, UT) to evaluate the educational module. Preceptors (n=351) from 17 post-baccalaureate programs began the study; 48 completed all 3 assessments. We delivered a content validated lesson and assessments using various learning theories including video demonstrations with paired reflections. The desired outcome was to enhance the knowledge of effective feedback characteristics to be used in practice. The pre-test assessed self-reported feedback behaviors on a Likert Scale and knowledge (score=25). The immediate post-test reassessed feedback knowledge. At least 8 weeks following completion of the module, participants were asked to reassess feedback delivery behaviors. Throughout the process, participants provided a definition of “effective feedback” scored on 7 key criteria for effective feedback delivery. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data and significance was set at Pa-priori. Results: Significant improvements (P-3.298 P=.001, Cohen’s d=.889). There were no other significant differences between pre-test and follow-up behaviors (P>.05), as participants generally agreed they performed effective feedback behaviors (mode=4) at both time points. Conclusions: Behaviors regarding effective feedback were not changed over the long-term, which may have been a result of the method of performance feedback. Preceptor training is both a requirement and a need in effective athletic training clinical education. Future research should aim to identify mechanisms to improve preceptor feedback and confirm preceptor perceptions through student evaluations.

Implementing pathways to anesthesiology: Promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and success.

Implementing pathways to anesthesiology: Promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and success.

Qualities Gained from Postbaccalaureate Programs Contributing to Medical School Success

Abstract Postbaccalaureate programs are becoming increasingly utilized by students as a pathway to medical school. Despite the possible negative connotations associated with nontraditional medical school applicants, findings from several studies demonstrate that individuals who have participated in a postbaccalaureate program perform either on par with or outperform their traditional counterparts. This study used a qualitative narrative approach to interview six participants to better understand the perspectives of current medical students who participated in a postbaccalaureate program. Further, this study examined the qualities nontraditional medical students believed they offered compared to their traditional counterparts that contributed to their success in medical school. Findings showed that while subjects had unique reasons for attending a postbaccalaureate program, their reasons generally focused on enhancing parts of their medical school application, predominantly for GPA improvement. In pursuing this pathway, participants found greater maturity and mental fortitude and developed multiple extracurricular passions. These qualities not only contributed to their success in medical school but are discussed as qualities on which they can build in their future practice as physicians.

Relationships between preadmission variables and academic outcomes for postbaccalaureate students in medical school

There is currently little guidance for medical school admissions committees regarding how to weigh postbaccalaureate program grades relative to undergraduate grades. This study was designed to address this issue. Admissions data, preclerkship course performance and United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 results were analyzed over three years for University of California, San Diego (UCSD) postbaccalaureate premedical (PBPM) students (n = 25), students who participated in other postbaccalaureate programs (n = 34), and for the remainder of the medical students who did not participate in any postbaccalaureate programs (n = 329). UCSD PBPM program alumni did not significantly differ in their cumulative academic performance on exams in preclerkship courses and USMLE Step 1 pass rates compared to the rest of the class despite their significantly lower GPA, lower Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math (BCPM) GPA, and Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) percentiles. For students who participated in the PBPM programs, PBPM program GPA was a significant predictor of preclerkship academic performance and USMLE Step 1 performance. When assessing academic readiness of applicants who have completed postbaccalaureate programs, admissions committees might closely consider the postbaccalaureate program GPA in addition to other academic metrices such as BCPM GPA and MCAT score.

Implementation of a Post-Baccalaureate Program at a Pediatric Academic Medical Center: A Pathway to Graduate School.

Post-baccalaureate programs are increasingly common and have demonstrated success in preparing students for graduate programs. Most post-baccalaureate programs have a pre-medical focus, and the few existing clinical psychology-focused programs are centered on coursework, situated within a university, costly to students, and/or geared towards career change. The post-baccalaureate program at Nationwide Children's Hospital was created in 2017 and is uniquely positioned within a pediatric academic medical center. The program provides research skill training, mentorship, professional development, and graduate school preparation to employed clinical research coordinators. An early program assessment, based on self-reports, revealed the program attracts diverse participants that are primarily interested in pediatric or child psychology and rate themselves as "somewhat confident" in their current research skills. This manuscript summarizes the three phases of development and key components of the post-baccalaureate program, which can serve as a model to other medical centers interested in developing training programs for research staff, particularly underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Wy'east: An Innovative, Culturally Responsive Postbaccalaureate Pathway for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) face significant health disparities that are exacerbated by limited access to high-quality, culturally congruent health care providers. There are no premedical postbaccalaureate programs focused on AIAN students. The Northwest Native American Center of Excellence designed the Wy'east Pathway in 2018 to increase the number of AIANs matriculating to U.S. medical schools by supporting those on the cusp of matriculation. Wy'east scholars undertake 10 months of structured programming to augment their academic preparation, improve their Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, and enhance their confidence and cultural identity. Cultural events and mentorship opportunities with AIAN faculty, staff, and cultural liaisons are threaded throughout the pathway curriculum to foster cultural resilience, mentorship, and community. Scholars earn conditional acceptance to Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine if they complete Wy'east and meet the following criteria: pass all examinations in the primary curricular threads, obtain a qualifying MCAT score, and meet professionalism standards. All 14 scholars who successfully completed Wy'east and met criteria in the first 2 cohorts (academic years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020) earned conditional acceptance to OHSU School of Medicine. Ten of the 14 scholars (71.4%) matriculated to OHSU School of Medicine, 2 (14.3%) matriculated to other medical schools, and 2 (14.3%) chose to pursue other health care fields. Wy'east scholars rated the foundational science of medicine and population health and epidemiology threads higher in terms of making them feel better prepared for medical school (mean = 4.71 and 4.83, respectively) than the academic skills and wellness thread (mean = 3.43). Over the next 5 years, Wy'east will grow incrementally to offer a total of 18 conditional acceptance spots per cohort across 3 medical schools. Longitudinal tracking of Wy'east scholars' medical training and career outcomes will be conducted.

HyFlex Course Delivery: Addressing the Change in Course Modality Brought on by the Pandemic

Teacher preparation programs need quality training courses that offer flexible, interactive alternatives to isolating online courses and classroom-based programs that limit students to a specific place and time. The HyFlex course design provides a solution by combining internet video instruction (such as Zoom), regular online learning, and face-to-face classroom experiences into one course where students can choose the method that best meets their individual learning needs and even alternate between methods throughout the course session. HyFlex aligns with learner centered instruction and offers a unique opportunity for educators to receive quality licensure courses. This article explores existing literature on the HyFlex course delivery method and discusses a case study done to examine student outcomes resulting from its use in a post-baccalaureate special education teacher licensure program.

Athletic Training Educators' ConferenceApril 29–May 1, 2021

Athletic Training Educators' ConferenceApril 29–May 1, 2021

Georgia State University Perimeter College LSAMP Transfer Bridge Program: A Path Forward for Broadening Participation in Stem

Summer Bridge Programs are increasingly becoming a popular strategy for Colleges and Universities to retain more historically underrepresented minority students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Retaining students in STEM disciplines is a necessary first step in order to accomplish the ultimate goal of diversifying the STEM workforce to create innovative solutions for today’s complex problems. In this paper, the authors describe an exploratory and descriptive study of the promising Georgia State University Perimeter College (GSU-PC) Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Transfer Bridge Program. Most summer bridge programs are designed to facilitate seamless entry into college for incoming first year students, but the GSU-PC LSAMP Transfer Bridge program is designed to support the successful transition of underrepresented STEM students transferring from a 2-year to 4-year institution. Early results indicate that the Transfer Bridge participants were significantly more likely to enroll in a 4-year STEM program, receive a STEM bachelor’s degree, enroll in a post-baccalaureate STEM program, and receive a STEM post-baccalaureate degree than a comparison group of non-Transfer Bridge students at Georgia State University Perimeter College.

The Longitudinal Impact of Standardized Patient Encounters During Professional Education on Athletic Training Professional Practice

Context Inquiry into the use of standardized patients (SPs) is growing in athletic training education; however, the impact of these SP encounters has not been examined beyond professional education. Objective To understand how SP encounters during professional education benefited clinicians in their current clinical practice and in their transition to practice. Design Consensual qualitative research. Setting Individual phone interviews. Patients or Other Participants Thirteen professionals (7 women, 6 men; mean age = 28.15 ± 6.04 years) with postprofessional experience averaging 3.5 years (3.69 ± 1.43 years) participated in this study. Participant practice settings included college/university (4), high school (7), outpatient clinic (1), and military (1). Interviews were conducted until data saturation occurred. Main Outcome Measure(s) Data were collected via semistructured interviews, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using a consensual qualitative research design, data were independently analyzed by a 3-person team, who independently coded the data and compared ideas until consensus was reached. Trustworthiness was established through member checks. Results Two themes emerged from the findings that described the participants' perceptions of how they felt using SPs in the ATP facilitated their growth as a health care professional: (1) personal growth/development and (2) professional growth/development. Participants specifically noted that these encounters enhanced confidence, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and patient rapport and aided in transition to practice. Conclusions Athletic training professionals who experienced SPs during professional education revealed an increase in perceived confidence in clinical and interpersonal skills as they transitioned to independent practice. Additionally, participants highlighted that SP encounters should continue throughout the athletic training curriculum. Future research should involve participants from postbaccalaureate programs, as well as postprofessional and residency programs.

Postbaccalaureate terminal degree and career choices of students who performed undergraduate research.

This study analyzed terminal degree and career choices of students who performed undergraduate research. In one analysis, the study compared terminal degree and career choices between a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) and traditional non-course-based undergraduate research experiences at one primarily undergraduate institution (PUI). Students who pursued postbaccalaureate programs chose terminal degrees at levels exceeding 75%, with no significant difference between a CURE experience and a traditional research experience. Analysis of terminal degree and career choices at four PUIs providing traditional research experiences showed a marked difference in the number of students pursuing terminal degrees. Two PUIs showed rates > 75%, whereas students at the other two PUIs pursued terminal degrees <50% of the time. The majority of students not pursuing terminal degrees chose M.S. degrees in education and healthcare. An analysis was also performed among students participating in traditional summer undergraduate research on a research-intensive university (RIU) campus with a medical school. Students were accepted from two programs, an NIH IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program recruiting students from the RIU and an NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program recruiting undergraduates from rural PUIs and minority-serving institutions, particularly tribal colleges. Analysis showed that >70% of the students who pursued postbaccalaureate programs chose terminal degrees. INBRE undergraduates displayed a marked preference for the M.D. degree (73.9% vs. 17.4%), whereas the REU students chose the Ph.D. degree (75.0% vs. 22.9%). American Indian students were also analyzed separately for career choice and showed an equal preference for the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees when pursuing postbaccalaureate education. Overall, the results provide evidence that undergraduate student research stimulates student careers in areas needed by the nation's citizen stakeholders.

Post‐Baccalaureate Program Biochemistry Content as a Predictive Indicator of Health Professional School Admissions and Success

The Master of Arts in Medical Sciences (MAMS) degree at Heritage University, a predominantly Native American and Hispanic-serving institution, is a one-year bridge or pipeline program to graduate health professional schools. The degree program is operated in collaboration with Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine and Washington State University College of Pharmacy. MAMS students are typically first generation, minority, late-blooming, or disadvantaged individuals. Coursework taken alongside first-year medical students at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences as well as first-year pharmacy students at Washington State University coupled with standardized exam preparation, service-learning opportunities, mentorship, study strategies, club participation, and access to medical, physician assistant, and pharmacy school faculty/staff/students provide MAMS students with the capability to strengthen their applications as well as demonstrate their readiness for professional school. Rigorous Scientific Foundations of Medicine (SciFOM) and Pharmacogenomics courses within the MAMS curriculum have been shown to be key predicative indicators of student success in gaining admission to health professional school as well as subsequent academic performance and graduation. The SciFOM and Pharmacogenomics courses are biochemistry-rich and cover topics such as histology, immunology, embryology, microbiology, biochemical metabolism, genetics, neuroscience, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and molecular biology. Delivery of integrated course content utilizes lectures, in-class discussion, case-based learning, small-group learning, computer-facilitated learning, and laboratory activities to maximize student comprehension of fundamental basic science principles. MAMS students take the SciFOM coursework alongside first-year PNWU osteopathic medical students and the Pharmacogenomics content with first-year WSU pharmacy students. Since the program's inception in 2012, 98% of MAMS students that have scored 77% or higher in the SciFOM and 85% in the pharmacogenomics courses, respectively, have gained admission to a health professional school of their choice. Nearly 41% of the SciFOM high achieving MAMS students have been minorities, and 96% of the SciFOM performing MAMS students have remained in good academic standing, passed Board Exams, and/or graduated from health professional school. The highly performing MAMS students have been admitted to medical, dental, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, and physician assistant schools at nearly twice (1.5X) the rate of most post-baccalaureate program graduates. Biochemistry course content, therefore, appears to be a reliable predictive indicator of student admission and success in graduate health professional schools.

Completion and attrition of nursing PhD students of the 2001 to 2010 matriculating cohorts

PurposeTo examine completion and attrition of students in nursing PhD programs. MethodsTotal 5,391 students who matriculated into nursing PhD programs in 2001 to 2010 were selected from the AACN database. FindingsThe completion rate of the students was 74.2% and the attrition rate was 22.7%. On average, it took 5.7 years for the students to graduate and 3.7 years for the students who left without graduating to drop out. The mean age at matriculation and graduation was 42.4 and 47.5, respectively. Male students, part-time students, students of post-baccalaureate programs, students who were not faculty or held a part-time faculty position, students of the 2001 to 2010 matriculation cohorts, and students in PhD programs with 25% or more of the courses taught online were more likely to experience attrition. ConclusionThe study findings provide useful information for the nursing education community to better address the issue of nursing PhD shortage.

School-Based Practices and Preservice Teacher Beliefs About Urban Teaching and Learning

ABSTRACT Researchers have long recognized the importance of what teachers need to know, be able to do, and how their beliefs influence their professional decision making and practices. We also know that context matters in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to explore the nuance between practice, belief, and context. We examine whether change in preservice teacher (PT) beliefs about teaching diverse populations occurred while in a school-based teacher preparation program. The teacher preparation program under study is a one-year post-baccalaureate alternative certification program targeting school-based teacher training through school-university partnerships. Interview notes and transcriptions of PTs’ thoughts on urban teaching and learning were qualitatively analyzed and compared using a matched-case design. We found that the purposeful theoretical and pedagogical framework used in the teacher preparation program (in this case, culturally responsive teaching [CRT]) provides PTs with a tool to direct their teaching during school-based practices and a lens to learn with while engaging in school-based practices. Learning with and through CRT filters supports PTs’ increased awareness in sociopolitical factors forging feelings of hope and agency. The study builds on research supporting the use of clinical practices and the importance of nurturing effective teacher dispositions for urban teaching and learning.

First person – Ana Diaz Espinosa

ABSTRACT First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Ana Diaz Espinosa is first author on ‘Dopamine D1 receptor stimulates cathepsin K-dependent degradation and resorption of collagen I in lung fibroblasts’, published in JCS. Ana conducted the research described in this article while a Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) student in Daniel Tschumperlin's lab at the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. She is now a PhD student at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, investigating how to restore cellular and tissue function by integrating fundamental principles of biology and biomaterials.

Postbaccalaureate Premedicine Programs: A Path to Diversity in Physician Assistant Education.

The importance of diversity in the physician assistant (PA) profession is well understood. Some of the benefits of diversity include improved patient care and patient satisfaction. In recent times, efforts at increasing diversity in PA education have involved implementing a holistic admissions process and targeted recruitment of applicants who are underrepresented in medicine. Historically, postbaccalaureate programs have been an effective tool for increasing enrollment of both underrepresented and disadvantaged matriculants in medical school. A larger than expected proportion of these students go on to work with underserved patient populations. The authors suggest that similar postbaccalaureate programs could help underrepresented and disadvantaged students be successful in PA education.

A Case Study of STEM Professionals Who Chose Teaching as a Second Career

There has been a growing increase in the numbers of STEM professionals who choose teaching as a second career for reasons such as dissatisfaction with their existing work situation, desire for life-work balance or a desire to make an impact. How do these teachers adjust to the teaching profession? What do they bring from their life and work experience? How effective are they as teachers? These are the questions that are being researched here with a group of 18 STEM career changers who enrolled in a post-baccalaureate program offered at an urban university in Philadelphia.