Efficacy of Early Exposure Medical Programs for Underrepresented Students: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Workforce Diversity
• Student Outreach Programs

Background:

• The physician workforce in the U.S. lacks demographic diversity.
• Underrepresented students face academic, financial, and psychosocial barriers in pursuing medicine.
• Existing pipeline and outreach programs have limited evidence-based evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify components of early medical exposure programs linked to increased interest in medicine.
• Assess program effects on self-efficacy and diversity within the medical field.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of published studies on early medical exposure programs with quantitative outcomes.
• Searches conducted across PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect (April 1999 - October 2025).
• Independent screening by two reviewers with consensus for discrepancies.

Main Results:

• 24 studies met inclusion criteria from 464 identified.
• Mentorship and research were common components; high school and undergraduate students were primary participants.
• Longer program duration correlated with improved academic performance and higher education; increased interest in medicine, STEM degrees, and self-efficacy were reported outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Early exposure programs enhance interest in medicine, self-efficacy, and academic performance for underrepresented students.
• Mentorship and research components are strongly associated with increased pursuit of higher education and biomedical/STEM degrees.
• These programs show promise in reducing perceived barriers and improving diversity in the medical field.