"It Honestly Took Me About Two Years": Minoritized Students' Experiences in Navigating Pathways Between High School,
Candace J Chow1, Scott Curtis2, Michael Chen3
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, USA.
Medical Science Educator
|April 6, 2026
Summary
Minoritized students need better access to information and support to succeed in health sciences. Partnerships and accessible resources are crucial for overcoming barriers in higher education pathways.
Area of Science:
- Health Sciences Education
- Equity in Education
- Student Support Services
Background:
- Minoritized students, including students of color and first-generation college students, face unique challenges in pursuing advanced health sciences degrees.
- Existing equity frameworks highlight the importance of stakeholder partnerships in student success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the resources essential for minoritized students' success in health sciences degree pathways.
- To investigate the role of stakeholder partnerships in supporting these students' academic journeys.
Main Methods:
- Conducted four focus groups with parents, community college students, graduate students, and academic advisors (n=31).
- Included four individual interviews for additional perspectives.
- Utilized inductive coding of transcribed focus group and interview data.
Main Results:
- Identified key barriers such as limited access to higher education information and skepticism from educators.
- Highlighted supportive factors like university diversity and bridge programs offering targeted guidance.
- Revealed that higher education systems often lack accessible and relevant resources for diverse student populations.
Conclusions:
- Success for minoritized students in health sciences requires enhanced navigational capital for students and parents.
- Addressing structural barriers and providing targeted support are critical for their educational advancement.
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